


my menagerie

by imagineyou (jokerindisguise), jokerindisguise



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Minor Character Death, Multi, Reader Has a Power, Reader is Number Eight, gender neutral reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:20:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25196848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/imagineyou, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/jokerindisguise
Summary: A collection of prompts and requests that I've received on Tumblr. You can find mehere. If you'd like to request something, please see my posthere.I will also be adding in drabbles I decide to write.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves/Reader, Diego Hargreeves/Reader, Klaus Hargreeves/Reader, Lila Pitts/Reader
Comments: 48
Kudos: 146





	1. You Were Bound to See (Diego Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Hello there! I don't know if you are accepting requests, so I'm just shooting my shot. I was thinking about a short one shot with Diego based on the song Wait a minute by Willow Smith. Actually the part where she says "You left your diary at my house And I read those pages, you really love me". I know you're busy with These Hands Stained Red, so it's okay if you can't write it. Have a nice day! 🤗💖"  
> Also requested: 'Reader is Number Eight, is a singer in a bar, and her power has to do with her voice.'

You sat on your bed, waiting for him to show up. On nights like these, it wasn't uncommon for him to sneak into your apartment, seeking a night together. 

When you heard the window beside your bed slide up, you felt a smirk tug at your lips. You glanced over your shoulder, catching sight of him standing there in his domino mask and usual vigilante gear. 

"What was it this time?" 

"A robbery," he answered. "What? You couldn't see that with your little musical gift?"

You quirked an eyebrow at him, not amused by his snark. "It doesn't work like that and you know it," you snapped, shooting him a glare. "And why don't you take that stupid thing off your face? You look like an idiot."

Diego rolled his eyes, reaching up to pull his mask off. "You used to wear one too. Or did you forget we used to be on the same team?"

How could you ever forget? Your mother had only been a lonely, scared teenager when she suddenly became pregnant and gave birth to you all in one day. You didn't remember much about her, but you did remember that she used to call you her little miracle. She didn't have much money or anyone to rely on, but she loved you. And you? You loved her. 

You were just a kid when she got sick and passed, there and gone in what felt like a blink of an eye. In the weeks before she left you, you spent many nights at her bedside, singing her song after song, your head filled with visions that never yielded what you hoped to find. 

After she passed, you ended up bounced around the system for a few years until you ran away. You learned at a young age that you truly couldn't rely on anyone but yourself, so you resigned yourself to being alone. 

You had to become resourceful to survive on the streets. It wasn't the most glamorous lifestyle, but you figured it was better than trusting someone who would only ultimately let you down. 

Your life took a sudden turn when you were only thirteen. You had gone a few days without food, so you had to resort to looking through a dumpster in search of a meal. You thought you had found the jackpot outside of a mansion, since you knew rich people were always throwing away perfectly good food. 

You had just jumped inside when you startled at the sound of someone banging a fist on the side of it. 

"Hey! You find anything good in there?"

You peeked over the side of the dumpster to see a boy about your age leaning against the side of it. He glanced up at you, throwing you a wink, before he brought a cigarette to his lips and took a drag. 

"Smoking kills, you know?" 

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "Death doesn't concern me that much," he offered with a grin, lightly laughing at the words as if it was a joke only he would understand. "What are you doing in there?"

"Looking for food," you answered, figuring there was no harm in being honest. 

The boy squinted up at you before he nodded his head. "Alright," he said. "Come with me."

You shook your head. "I don't even know you."

"Oh! Right," he said, hastily dropping his cigarette to the ground before stepping on it. "I'm Klaus. And you are?"

You considered the boy for a few moments before you sighed. "I'm Y/N," you finally offered. 

You were surprised when Klaus took you inside the mansion. He was quick to introduce you to a woman named Grace who immediately started to fuss over you. She made you food which you promptly ate while listening to Klaus ramble away about his life and family. 

"Well, this was great," you started once you finished the pancakes and eggs Grace had made for you. "But I should really be going."

"I believe we would both agree on that," you heard a man say from the doorway of the kitchen. "What were you thinking, Number Four? Inviting this strange child into our home?"

Klaus snorted before he shot you a commiserating look, as if you could possibly understand what was really going on. "I was thinking, Reggie, that she was hungry and needed something to eat."

"This is not your house, Number Four. You did not have my permission to invite a stranger inside."

It was then that you noticed the other kids crowding around the older man. It took you a few moments, but you realized that you recognized some of them. You frowned at the one wearing a domino mask, a scowl on his face as he watched you. 

"We don't have time for this," the older man snapped. "It is time to debut the team. There is a robbery in progress and you and the other children are going to stop it."

"At a bank?" You asked, tilting your head to the side as you watched the older man. "There's going to be men hiding in the bank vault. Make sure you get them too."

The man turned to give you his full focus, staring you down for long enough that you started to feel truly uncomfortable. "Tell me," he started. "When were you born?"

"What? What the hell does that matter?"

"Your date of birth," the man demanded. "Now."

"October first," you answered.

"Year?"

You shot a quick glance at Klaus, seeing that his eyes were wide with wonder as he waited for your answer.

"1989?" You hesitantly offered, not sure why it came out as a question. 

"Where did you find her, Number Four?"

"Uh," Klaus started, staring at you uncertainly.

"I was outside in the dumpster looking for food," you answered for him. 

"I see," the man mused. "It seems I may have some use for you after all. Stay here," he commanded. "I want to speak with you when we get back."

You watched as the man herded all of the kids out of the kitchen, leaving Grace with instructions to make sure you stayed put. 

Of course, you had no intention of staying. You didn't trust the man or the way he seemed to think you were suddenly valuable to him. You didn't want to see what he had in store for you. 

So, the moment Grace turned her back, you made a run for it. 

It didn't take you long to learn that Reginald Hargreeves really did have no intention of letting you go. He managed to track you down within a day and offered you another meal if you only listened to what he had to say. 

You agreed, even if you were hesitant to believe that he was offering you salvation. 

He spun you a crazy tale of superhero kids and a bid to save the world. It took some coaxing, but you finally admitted that you caught glimpses of the future. All you had to do was sing a song and visions played in your head of what was to come. You couldn't control it and it only seemed to stretch as far as a few days ahead, but you always tried your best to understand them when they came. 

"Precognitive music," Reginald confirmed with a nod of his head. "Well, I'm not sure how useful you can be to the team, but I'm sure we can find a place for you. Welcome to the team, Number Eight."

Despite having an official welcome to the team and family, you still tried to run away. A lot. But Reginald always brought you back. 

You didn't really mesh well with the team. You didn't bother to get to know Luther or Allison. The one they called Number Five disappeared not long after you joined the team and Ben was so quiet and reserved that he usually kept to himself. The only ones you really forged any kind of connection with were Diego, Klaus, and Vanya. 

Klaus didn't really give you a choice about whether you wanted to be friends or not. He seemed to just barge right into your life and stay there, pulling you into his antics from time to time. 

You bonded with Vanya over music. Once you heard her play her violin, you instantly fell for her talent. You spent hours listening to her play, eventually having the confidence to sing to her and sharing your visions with her. 

And Diego? Diego only seemed to show an interest in you because he didn't trust you. You were pretty sure he thought you were going to somehow kill everyone in their sleep one night. Which, to you, didn't make sense, because he was the one with the lethal power. 

Diego's constant watch over you meant that you ended up spending a lot of time together, whether you truly wanted to or not. You discovered an anger in Diego that you connected with. He was angry with his upbringing and constant dismissal from his father that left him feeling like he wasn't good enough and you were angry at the shitty hand life had dealt you and the constant voice in your head telling you that you didn't belong. Over time, you learned how to talk each other down when you truly felt like you were going to lose it. Sometimes when you tried to run away, Diego would be the first to talk you out of it. 

As you grew older, you started to rely on each other. You were the first one to have his back on a mission and he made sure you knew how to spar just as well as him so you could better defend yourself. You started spending most of your time together, forging a connection you never would have seen coming, despite your precognitive ability. 

When you turned seventeen, you and Diego left the Academy together. You both took up odd jobs, sharing a shitty apartment just so you wouldn't have to spend one more moment under the roof of Reginald Hargreeves. 

That first year you spent together, just the two of you, was one of the best years of your life. Diego took up playing guitar and you would sit on the bed you shared, singing to him. He was always so interested in your visions, but that wasn't why you chose to share your talent with Diego. Singing had always been something you loved, and in a way, it was something you did for the people you loved. Your mom. Vanya. And then Diego. 

Of course, you knew you were too young for those kinds of feelings and young love rarely lasted. 

Your problems started when Diego wanted to start up a vigilante lifestyle. He ended up washing out of the police academy, stating that it wasn't for him. Instead, he took to wanting to patrol the streets at night, listening to a stolen police scanner, and throwing himself into danger. You tagged along at first, but you quickly realized that you didn't want to be a superhero. It became a point of contention between the two of you.

"Diego, we can't keep doing this," you insisted one night. You were bleeding from a cut to your forehead you had gotten after a close call with a group of men who were intent on robbing a convenience store. 

"Doing what?" He asked, carefully dabbing at the cut with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. 

" _This_ ," you insisted. "Saving people. Being good little superheroes. I thought that's why we left the Academy."

"That's why _you_ left the Academy," he pointed out. 

"I'm not cut out for the superhero life," you said, trying to make him see that you were suffering for it. 

"You were born for the superhero life," he countered. "Otherwise, what's the use of having a power if you don't use it to save people?"

You shook your head, glancing away from him. "I didn't ask for this," you whispered. "Aren't we meant for something more?" You couldn't help but wonder, feeling like your heart was tearing in two at the silence that followed. 

You left not long after that. You ended up singing in a dive bar for a boss with shady connections and as far as you knew, Diego took up a job at a boxing ring during the day while he moonlighted as a vigilante at night. 

Even though you both didn't seem to agree with the other, you couldn't stay away. The rest of the team had been irreparably broken for a long time, but you couldn't seem to quit Diego. He didn't like that you were seemingly wasting your nights singing in a bar, keeping your visions to yourself, and refusing to use them for the greater good. You didn't like that he was risking his life for people who didn't give a fuck about him and wouldn't care if he died in the process of saving them. 

You spent years going back and forth. Some nights, after you were done at the bar, you would make your way to The Fighting Lion, waiting on Diego's bed until he bothered to show up. Other nights, he would come see you after saving some hapless victim, crawling through your window like you were teenagers in some kind of sweet rom-com. 

It didn't matter how much it hurt that you would never truly agree, because you knew that you loved him. You loved him so much some days you could hardly think past the need to have him right there at your side. 

Now, you barely resisted the urge to roll your eyes before you turned your back on him. 

"I can guess why you're here," you started, shooting him another quick glance over your shoulder. "Catch the bad guys?"

"And saved some lives, baby," he told you with a smirk.

"Don't call me that," you said. 

"What should I call you then?" The smirk never left his face as he started pulling off his holsters, dropping his knives on their unofficial designated place on your dresser. "Remember what I used to call you when we were younger?"

"Don't," you warned, knowing what he was about to say.

"My little songbird," he crooned with an almost mocking note to his voice. "You used to sing just for me," he reminded you. 

You watched him continue to strip until his shirt was off and his pants were unzipped. 

"You're awfully confident about where this is heading," you pointed out to him. "What if I said I just wasn’t feeling it tonight? What if I showed you the door?"

"You know, I caught your show tonight," he informed you, seemingly completely ignoring your previous words. 

That was news to you. As far as you were aware, Diego had never bothered to actually come to the bar and see you sing. He thought you could do better and you didn’t quite disagree with him.

"I listened to you and watched you," he said, slowly approaching you until he was standing just beside your bed. "And I realized something."

"Oh, yeah?" You asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he put a hand to your shoulder, coaxing you to lie down. "What was that?"

He moved to hover over you on the bed, propped up on his arms on either side of your head with his eyes trained on yours. "You don't really love it," he finally responded. "You just go and sing because you enjoy it, but it's nothing like those private shows you used to put on for me. I never realized before how close we were then. How _intimate_ ," he said as he leaned down, placing a kiss to your jaw. "I remember the look on your face every time you sang just for me." Another kiss was placed in the hollow of your throat. "You used to look at me like I was everything to you. You gave yourself away."

You felt your breath hitch as he placed a biting kiss just under your jaw, his teeth lightly scraping over your skin. 

"I did?" Your voice was breathless as you attempted to glance down at him. 

"You did," he confirmed with another smirk, finally rising up so you could see him. 

"And what did I give away?" You couldn't help but ask, torn between knowing and pulling him down into a kiss.

"You love me," he said. "I didn't notice at first, but tonight made me see it. It made me see _you_. You love me, Y/N. You really love me."

It was hopeless to deny it. You had known since you were only seventeen. You had resigned yourself to loving Diego for the rest of your life, because you simply couldn't help it. It didn't matter if you would always clash and were wrong for each other in so many ways. Your heart never seemed to listen to what your brain had to say. You loved Diego. 

"And what if I do? Does that change anything?" Your hands clenched into fists at your sides, your instincts warring between pulling him closer or pushing him away in the event he just ended up hurting you again. 

"Of course it doesn't," he answered with a shake of his head. He offered you a soft, sincere smile before he leaned down again, his lips brushing against yours as he spoke his next words. "Because I love you too."


	2. The Taste of Ink (Klaus Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Hello there! Could you write a Klaus x reader with reader being a tattoo artist? Like they met, when reader started tattooing and Klaus's Hello and Goodbye tattoo is her practicing work. With Their relationship romantic, but no strings attached, because Klaus's comes and goes and reader is his safe place? Thank you! 🥰💖"

You didn't grow up with the knowledge that you wanted to some day become a tattoo artist. When you were younger, you were always terrible at art, but you yearned to be better. You joined art club and stayed after school with the art teacher, trying to soak up as much as you could about different styles and techniques. 

You kept at it until you started feeling satisfied with your work. 

Still, you never expected to turn to tattooing as a possible career path until you found yourself in desperate need of a job after the company you had worked at for a year and a half suddenly let you go. You had applied to be a receptionist at a tattoo parlor called 'X-Force Ink,' just a few blocks away from your apartment, hoping to make enough money to keep paying rent while you considered your options. 

You had only been there for a couple of weeks when the owner had to fire one of the artists. You knew he was scrambling to find a replacement, so when he caught you doodling on the back of the sign-in sheet, he asked you to show him a portfolio. You hurried to get enough sketches together to hopefully give him an idea of your skill and when he seemed impressed, he offered to start your training right away. 

It didn't take you long to realize that you loved it. You loved the focus and intimacy of the job. You loved that someone was trusting you enough to permanently ink art onto their body. You loved the thrill of the idea of watching someone walk out of the shop with a smile on their face because of your art. 

By the end of your first couple of months as an apprentice, you couldn't imagine yourself doing anything else with your life. The only problem was that you were in need of more experience. You wanted to find someone who would trust you enough to practice your skills on. You considered asking friends or family, but your first real customer ended up being a complete stranger. 

It was a nice, chilly autumn day when he came stumbling into your life. You were in the middle of watching another artist named Weasel tattoo a client when you heard the commotion coming from the front of the shop. 

"Go see what that is," Weasel told you. "Wade might need some help." 

"Alright," you agreed, leaving the room and making sure to close the curtain behind you to respect the client's privacy. 

"Good luck!" You heard Weasel call after you. 

You rolled your eyes, a fond smile on your face as you made your way out to the front. When you got to the waiting room, it was to see your boss, Wade, attempting to kick out a guy with eyeliner smudged around his eyes and a bottle of tequila in his hand. 

"I don't have any money," the guy was slurring, swaying on his feet as he struggled to keep his eyes focused on Wade. "But I can think of other ways to pay." 

You saw Wade roll his eyes before he put a hand to the stranger's shoulders. "Brother, I don't know what you're on, but you need to get the hell out of here before I call the cops." 

"Oh, but my brother is a cop! Or he used to be one. Go ahead and call him up." The guy leaned forward, pitching his voice lower, as if imparting a secret. "Between you and me, he won't be too surprised to hear from you." 

"Leave. Now," Wade snapped. 

"Wait, wait, wait! Just wait!" The guy pleaded, holding out his palms, the bottle of tequila slipping from his fingers. 

Wade was quick to grab it and set it down on the front counter. 

"Just please listen to me," the guy continued, not even seeming to notice he was no longer holding the tequila. 

You caught the sad, desperate look in the stranger's eyes and couldn't help but feel for him. 

"Wade," you called, finally gaining his attention. "Mind if I take it from here?" 

"What? No! I'm not letting you deal with this creep." 

"Hey! Who are you calling a creep?" The stranger's bottom lip poked out in a pout. 

You couldn't help but find him adorable as you cautiously approached him. "I'll get him out of here," you promised Wade. "Just give me a minute." 

Wade considered you for a moment before he sighed, giving in to your request. "Call me if he tries anything," Wade told you, shooting a glare at the stranger before he turned and walked down the hallway towards the back rooms. 

"Come on," you coaxed, reaching out to gently wrap your fingers around the guy's wrist. "Let's sober you up a bit." 

You led the guy back towards the break room, gently pushing him into a chair at the table before you moved to fill a paper cup with water. You handed it over to him, watching him consider it for a moment as if he thought you were secretly trying to poison him, before he took a sip. 

You sat down in the chair next to his, waiting until he was finished with the water before you chose to talk. 

"What's your name?" 

The guy squinted at you before a smile slowly stretched across his face. "Well, hey there," he purred. "What's someone like you doing in a place like this?" 

"Jesus," you breathed. "What all did you take?" 

He laughed, tipping his head back to look at the ceiling. "You know, I can't remember. They were mighty pretty, though." He sat up and reached out to touch his finger to the tip of your nose. "Like you." 

You couldn't help but find the stranger oddly charming. There was just something about him that seemed to draw you in. You weren't sure if it was his beautiful, sad green eyes or the way he seemed to have so much weighing him down, but came off as strangely carefree. You wanted to know more about him, though. 

"What's your name?" You asked again when he looked like he was able to actually focus on you for more than a couple of seconds at a time. 

"Klaus," he answered. "Or Number Four, according to my father. God, what a prick." You listened to him grumble to himself for a few moments before he glanced to you again. "What's yours?" 

"Y/N," you told him, holding your hand out for him to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Klaus." 

Klaus took your hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. He winked at you before he let go of your hand. "The pleasure is mine," he assured you. 

You huffed out a laugh before you stood and moved over towards the refrigerator. You rummaged through the contents before you found the leftovers from your lunch. You put them in the microwave before you looked to Klaus, noticing that he was watching you intently. 

"I hope you like tacos," you told him once you grabbed the reheated food from the microwave. 

"Oh, yes, I'm starving," Klaus groaned, barely waiting for the food to be placed in front of him before he grabbed it up, immediately taking a bite. 

You watched him comically try to figure out if burning his mouth was worth the bite of food he just stuffed in his mouth before he landed in favor of swallowing the food. 

"So," you started when he was finished with the first taco. "What brought you here?" 

Klaus shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to get a tattoo. Isn't that why people come here?" 

You barely resisted the urge to roll your eyes. "I figured," you said. "But is it something you actually want or is it something you just thought sounded like a good idea because you're high?" 

"And drunk," Klaus pointed out, as if that helped his case at all. 

"And drunk," you repeated, raising an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. 

Klaus sighed, dropping the remains of the taco down on the wrapper, before he rolled up the sleeve of his patchwork coat to show you his left wrist. You caught the umbrella tattooed there before he dropped the sleeve, covering it. 

"My dad made me get that when I was a kid," he told you. “So, I’m not a nervous ink virgin. I know what I’m getting myself into.” 

"Your _dad_?" You asked incredulously, feeling your eyes widen in shock. "What the fuck?" 

"That's just Reggie," Klaus dismissed, as if the idea of his father forcibly tattooing his kid wasn't the worst thing he ever did to him. Klaus launched into a ramble about his family and superpowers and being made to save the day when he was a teenager. He talked about how he was walking and saw the sign for the shop and knew he wanted to get a tattoo. He seemed to cycle through at least a dozen tattoo ideas, barely even noticing when you got up to refill his paper cup with water and handed it back to him. 

By the time Klaus stopped talking, picking at the rest of his food, you had made up your mind. 

"Klaus," you called softly, getting his attention. 

"Yeah?" 

"I'll tattoo you," you offered. "I'm only an apprentice, so I haven't done much yet, but I'll do it for free if you promise me something." 

"Anything," Klaus immediately agreed, shooting you a smile. 

"I'll only do it if you come back tomorrow after closing and you're sober enough to tell me what you really want. I want to make sure it's something you actually want." 

Klaus narrowed his eyes at you, as if thinking it over, before he sighed and nodded his head. "Fine," he conceded. "It's a deal," he said, holding out his hand for you to shake. 

By the time you got Klaus out to the front room and called him a cab, you assumed you would never see him again. 

Still, the next day you volunteered to close, telling Wade that you had a potential client coming in who would let you work on them. 

Wade tilted his head to the side, considering you, before he shook his head. "It's that kid from yesterday, isn't it?" 

"Maybe," you answered, shrugging your shoulders. 

"If you have any problems, call me," Wade told you. "That kid was a mess. Don't get sucked into his mess, kid," he warned. 

"I'm an adult," you reminded him. "I can fuck up all by myself if I want to." 

Wade shot you a grin, reaching out to briefly tug on your ear, before he nodded his head. "Don't forget to lock up. If I get robbed, it's all your fault." 

"Noted," you told him, smiling after him when he flipped you off in lieu of a wave goodbye as he left the shop. 

By the time an hour had passed after closing, you were starting to think Klaus wasn't going to show up. You had already resigned to giving him another ten minutes before you left when you were startled by the sound of someone knocking on the front window. 

You glanced over to see Klaus standing there, a wide grin on his face when he realized he had your attention. He waved at you through the glass, practically skipping over towards the front door when you moved to unlock it for him. 

"Hello there," he sang, brushing past you once you opened the door. 

"You came," you said, still a bit surprised to see him. 

"Well, not yet," he told you with a wink. 

You sighed, deciding not to comment, before you moved to lock the front door again. 

"So, do you know what you want tattooed?" You asked him, turning to consider him again. 

A slow, pleased smile stretched across Klaus' face before he nodded his head. "I have the perfect idea." 

Ten minutes later, you were starting to question if this was a good idea. 

"I'm sorry," you said, shaking your head. "You want a tattoo on your _hands_?" 

"The palms," Klaus corrected, showing them to you as if you wouldn't know what he was talking about otherwise. "One on each of them." 

"Are you sure?" You asked helplessly, suddenly not sure if you were up to the job. "Maybe we should let someone else do this," you added. "Someone with more experience." 

"Hey," Klaus said, reaching out to grab your hand. "I trust you." 

"Why?" You couldn't help but wonder, since you had barely known him for a day. 

Klaus shrugged his shoulders. "You helped me," he simply offered in answer. 

You studied Klaus for a few moments before you sighed. "Alright," you finally conceded. "Let's do this." 

When you were finished, you waited for Klaus to say he hated your work or regretted his decision. 

Instead, he graced you with a blinding, satisfied smile and leaned forward to kiss you in thanks. 

You weren't really sure what expression you had on your face when he pulled away, but all you knew was that you wanted more. Klaus' expression softened, his eyes dipping as he took you in, before he gave you a drawn-out, intent look. Slowly, he leaned forward, careful not to put any weight on his hands, as he brushed his lips against yours again. 

This time, you felt almost breathless as he kissed you, your mind blanking out until all you could think about was Klaus pressed against you and how _good_ it felt. 

It wasn't long after that before you both ended up on the couch in Wade's office, half-naked and sated, pressed against each other. 

"I wasn't expecting that," you pointed out, feeling weak-limbed and unsure as you finally pushed yourself up to stand. 

Klaus was watching you when you glanced down at him, his gaze intent. "I was hoping for it," he told you, a smirk forming on his face when you felt your cheeks heat in a blush. 

You held a hand out to Klaus, pulling him off the couch. "It's getting late and I have to lock up. But I live just down the street. Want to come over for coffee?" 

"I'd love that," he agreed before he pulled you in for another kiss. 

After that night, Klaus made it a habit to come into the shop every few months. Sometimes, he asked for a new tattoo. Other times, he seemed like he just wanted to talk. 

You fell in love with Klaus over the years. You weren't sure when it really happened. Maybe it happened between inking the star onto his right wrist or the cluster of stars above his left hip. Maybe it was when he showed up at closing one night, a bottle of vodka in one hand and bag of tacos in the other, ignoring the exasperated glare Wade shot him. Maybe it happened when Klaus came into the shop, tears streaming down his face as he made a beeline over to you, asking if you could fit him into your schedule. Maybe it was as you inked a ghost into the skin of his right hip, a design he found hilarious but wouldn't tell you why, as you listened to him talk about losing his brother Ben. 

You saw different sides to Klaus over the years, but he was always Klaus to you. He was in and out of your life so often, but you never minded, because you knew without a doubt that he would always find his way back to you. 

Sometimes, you would go months without seeing Klaus. Other times, he would be a near-constant presence in your life for weeks. 

By the time you had been working at X-Force Ink for almost a decade, you were starting to wonder if your relationship with Klaus would ever move past visits and settle down into something stable. You loved Klaus, so while you were more than happy to take anything he was willing to give, you couldn't help but miss him from time to time. 

When Klaus came into the shop one day in late March, a guy you didn't recognize trailing behind him, you immediately made your way over to him. 

"You got new ink," you couldn't help but point out, reaching out to brush your fingers over the tattoo on his bicep. "Should I be jealous?" 

Klaus laughed, the sound almost desperate and pained. "I was out of town for a while. Couldn't wait," he said, shrugging his shoulders. He pointed to the guy standing near the front door of the shop. "Y/N, this is Diego. Diego, this is Y/N." 

"Your brother?" You asked, tilting your head as you considered Diego. "He's handsome," you told Klaus, wriggling your fingers in a wave at Diego. 

"Now I feel like I should be jealous," Klaus joked. 

You focused back on Klaus, studying him for a moment. "There's something different about you." 

Klaus gave a helpless little laugh before he nodded his head. "There's a lot different about me." 

"Are you okay?" 

He sighed in answer before pulling you in for a kiss, making it somehow feel melancholy and sweet at the same time. 

"Why does this feel like goodbye?" You asked when he pulled away, his eyes hinting at a sorrow and grief and anguish that hadn't been there the last time you saw him. 

"It doesn't have to be," he said before he bit his lip. He winced before glancing back at his brother. "But it might be." 

"What does that mean?" 

Klaus wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you in until you were pressed up against him. He dropped a kiss to the crown of your head. "It's probably better if you don't know. But I'll fix it. I'll save the world for you." 

"Klaus," you started, attempting to pull back so you could look at him, but he didn't seem intent on letting you go. "You're worrying me." 

"Sorry," he breathed, finally letting you go. "I just wanted to see you." 

You caught what he wasn't really saying. This was likely the last time you would see him. He just wanted to see you before he left. He might not be coming back. 

"Klaus," you repeated, feeling helpless as tears welled in your eyes. "What's really going on?" 

"Klaus," you heard Diego call. "Wrap it up." 

Klaus groaned, shooting a glare at Diego, before he looked back to you. He cupped your face in his hands, bringing you in for a short, loving kiss before he pulled away from you. 

"I'll see you," he offered, his tone conveying how much he hoped what he said was true. 

"Miss you already," you told him, your own little version of 'I love you.' 

You watched as Klaus left the shop with his brother, shooting you one last look through the glass at the front of the shop. The last you saw of him was his hand raised in a wave, the 'goodbye' you tattooed there years earlier serving as your final message from Klaus.


	3. My Favorite Place is Your Warm Embrace (Klaus Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If I may make a request, how about: “I’ll keep you warm.” & “Kiss me.” for Klaus/Reader? :3c

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adding in that ‘reader is number eight,’ was also requested. I’ve been in a Marvel mood, so reader’s power is inspired by Bobby Drake from X-Men. Title comes from ‘Bittersweet’ by Panic! at the Disco.

When you were thirteen years old, you decided to run away from home. 

To be fair, your father wasn't really your father and treated you like shit basically from birth. He adopted you from a woman who didn't want you, paying an obscene amount of cash just to procure you. He referred to you as an investment and a superhero and a disappointment. You were never his kid. To him, you were only ever Number Eight. 

You knew your father had numbered you and the other unfortunate kids in his care based on your perceived usefulness. You never really could get over how he placed you in the least 'useful' spot, even behind Vanya who didn't even have a power.

It wasn't long after Five went missing that you decided to try your luck and left as well. You would miss the others, but you longed to be out of Reginald Hargreeves' home. Anywhere was better than the Academy, you reasoned with yourself.

The first few years were rough. You didn't have a home or anywhere to really turn to. It wasn't until you were almost seventeen that you finally found somewhere you belonged. 

You didn't intend to visit a theme park, especially one that sounded as lame as 'Winter Wonderland Snowflake Palace.' You didn't have much cash on you and while you shouldn't have wasted the ten dollars to get through the front gate, you wanted something that would make you happy if only for a few moments. 

However, what you found inside ended up being depressing and almost dreary. For a place that claimed to be a 'winter wonderland,' it was almost scorching inside, the air conditioning unit obviously useless and humming so loud that you could barely think.

You walked into a room with fake, styrofoam snowmen and snowy mountains painted on the walls. There was a little girl crying in the middle of the room. She was steadily begging her mom to leave, tears streaming down her face as she yelled that she wasn't having any fun and it was too hot. You caught the harried, stressed look on the mom's face and listened to her hesitantly tell her daughter that she couldn't afford to take her anywhere else, so they should stay and try to have a good time. 

You glanced around, not seeing anyone else, before you cautiously reached out with your power.

A chill swept over the room, ice creeping along the walls, before snow seemed to start falling from the ceiling.

The little girl gasped, an expression of awe-struck wonder on her face as she glanced around. 

"Mommy! It's snowing!" 

You felt a grin tug at the corners of your lips as you watched the girl start running around the room in delight, an almost relieved expression on her mom's face.

"You're doing that," you heard from beside you.

You jumped, glancing to the side to see a man standing there. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," you denied with a shake of your head. 

The man offered you an unimpressed look, quirking his eyebrow at you in response. "I'm not stupid, kid. This place has been a dumpster in hell for weeks. You walk in and suddenly it's perfect? You're doing this. I don't know how, but you are."

You narrowed your eyes at the man, not sure how to respond. After a few moments, you shrugged your shoulders, figuring it wasn’t worth it to keep lying. "So what if I am?"

"Are you here with anyone? Got anywhere to be?"

"Why?" You asked, suddenly feeling defensive. 

"Because if you're up for it, I think I have a job for you."

You learned later that the man's name was Bobby. He offered to buy you dinner in exchange for you taking the time to hear his job proposition. He took the time to brief you on the history of the park, explaining that he had inherited it from a relative, and even though he was doing his best to stay afloat, it was quickly falling apart. 

He offered you a place to stay and a job as long as you agreed to use your power to help him stay in business. 

You weren't sure if it was a good idea. Bobby was a complete stranger to you, but you decided to give it a try. 

It didn't take you long to figure out that you loved working for Bobby. You had always wanted to use your power for something mundane without the weight of the world pressing on your shoulders. Bobby allowed you a freedom you never had at the Academy and while you worked for him, you had a hand in making sure everyone who visited the theme park had a blast. 

You slowly formed your own little family with the other people who worked there. You came to rely on them and found yourself wishing that you had grown up with them as your family instead of being acquired by Reginald Hargreeves shortly after your birth. 

As you grew older and started feeling more confident in your powers, thoughts of your childhood drifted from your mind. You no longer felt like you were useless or a burden all because you didn't really want to be a superhero. You started to feel important and involved, Bobby and everyone at Winter Wonderland making sure that you had a place to stay and never went hungry. They looked out for you, so you looked out for them. 

By the time you were nearing your mid-twenties, you felt like you had completely grown into yourself. You were happy and while you hadn't kept up with anything to do with Reginald Hargreeves or the Umbrella Academy, you knew there was no way you would ever have to worry about them again. There was very little chance they would ever find you and you weren't making it a point to look for them. 

Of course, you should have known that the second you assumed you would never hear from another Hargreeves again, one would manage to stumble right back into your life. 

You were working in the snow cone booth when he walked up to the counter. You barely bothered to look at him, intent on getting the perfect amount of syrup on the ice before you handed it over to the customer already standing there. 

"I know you," the stranger said. 

You finally glanced over at him. He was standing there in a tie-dye tank top with a black, patchwork coat thrown over it. When you gave him a once-over, you noticed his tight, leather pants and converse shoes. Add to that the eyeliner smudged all around his eyes and it shouldn't have worked, but you had to begrudgingly admit to yourself that there was something compelling about him. 

"No, you don't," you denied, shaking your head. 

He grabbed your left wrist, his fingers brushing over the tattoo inked there. "Oh, Diego isn't going to believe this!" He exclaimed, grinning at you. 

You turned your skin to ice in response, causing him to drop his hold on you. 

"Klaus," you surmised, managing to finally recognize him. "It's been a while."

"I'll say," he said on a laugh. "We all thought you were dead. Like Ben."

You felt your stomach drop at his words. "Ben's dead?"

"Oh, shit," Klaus gasped. "You didn't know."

"Of course I didn't fucking know," you snapped. "I left when I was thirteen. How would I have known?"

Klaus considered you for a moment, looking you up and down, before a smirk slowly formed on his face. "You know, you're looking really good. It’s really a shame you left us. Although, we all ended up leaving eventually. Well, except for Luther."

You rolled your eyes, knowing that Klaus was likely to keep rambling, before glancing to the growing line of customers behind Klaus. 

"What are you even doing here?" You hissed at him, finally handing over the snow cone to the first customer.

Klaus shrugged his shoulders. "I was bored and thought this place looked like fun."

You studied Klaus for a moment before you shook your head, recognizing the look in his eyes. "You weren't bored, you're high."

"Bored _and_ high," Klaus corrected, winking at you. 

You sighed before moving to open the side door to the booth, waving Klaus inside. You directed him to sit at the small table you kept in the back, waiting for him to be seated until you next spoke. 

"What flavor?"

"What?" He asked, shooting you a confused look as he picked up the book you had been reading on your breaks. 

"Snow cones, Klaus," you reminded him, gesturing around the booth. "And hurry. I have customers."

You saw his eyes light up at the idea of the frozen treat, seemingly thinking over his choices for a few moments. He murmured something over his shoulder before he glanced back to you. 

"Cherry," he finally decided. 

You rolled your eyes, grabbing a paper cone and holding your hand over it, filling it with ice. You saw Klaus lean forward in the chair, studying you. By the time you poured the syrup over the ice and handed it over to him, he was grinning at you.

"What?" You asked, feeling uncertain for a moment.

"Nothing," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Just thought it was cute."

You opened your mouth to protest, but it was then you were cut off by one of the customers still waiting for you. 

"Um, excuse me?" You glanced over to see a kid standing there, his eyes wide as he stared at you. He held up a dollar bill. "Can I buy a snow cone?"

"Right," you muttered, suddenly remembering that you were at work. "Sit there and finish that," you commanded Klaus before you moved back to the counter to take the kid's order. 

Klaus disappeared not long after that, but he ended up coming back the next day. And then the day after that. And the one after that. 

By the time he showed up at the theme park every day for two weeks, managing to seek you out no matter where you were working in the park, you started to question a few things. 

"Why are you paying to get in here every day? I can always meet you after work," you offered, having gotten used to Klaus' presence by the end of the first week of his daily visits. 

"Oh," Klaus breathed, glancing to you with wide, nervous eyes. "I'm not paying. I've been jumping a gate at the back every day."

You stared at him for a moment before breaking out into helpless laughter. "Of course you have," you said, realizing that you should have known Klaus better than that. 

It didn't take long for you to fall into a sort of relationship with Klaus. By the end of the first month of Klaus' visits, you had to admit to yourself that you were looking forward to seeing him each day. He made you look forward to each day, always enjoying the anticipation of getting to see him again. 

You weren't sure when your relationship really changed. It just seemed like it naturally progressed from point A to point B, both of you falling into it easily enough. 

You never really talked about the Academy, instead choosing to focus on other topics. You told him about how you ended up working at the park and he told you about any and all of his escapades. You were never bored with Klaus around and you started to realize that you couldn't picture your life without him in it anymore. 

You were working at the skating rink one day, making sure to keep the ice nice and smooth, when Klaus bumped his hip against yours, startling you.

"Hey," he whispered. "Let's get out there."

"What? No," you said. "I'm working."

"Oh, come on, Y/N. Live a little." He wrapped his fingers around your wrist, tugging you out towards the ice. 

"We're not even wearing skates!" You pointed out, trying to pull your arm out of Klaus' hold, but he wasn't relenting. 

Klaus pulled you out onto the ice, taking careful, faltering steps as he walked. You reached out with your power, making sure you didn't slip as you let Klaus lead you. He moved out to the center of the rink before he turned to look at you, a pleased grin on his face. 

"See? That wasn't so bad!"

You shook your head, a reluctant smile on your face. "You're ridiculous," you couldn't help but say, feeling yourself blush at the look on Klaus' face. 

His gaze was intent as he took you in. He bit his bottom lip, his hands coming up to rest on your hips. "You know," he said, his voice lowering as he dipped his head towards yours. "I have no idea what we're supposed to do now."

You couldn't help but laugh, feeling breathless at the sight of the smile breaking out on Klaus' face.

"Hey!" You heard Bobby yell. "No shoes on the ice!"

You startled at the sound of Bobby's voice, your feet slipping out from under you. You fell back onto the ice, Klaus falling after you. The breath was knocked out of you as Klaus landed on you, his arms coming up to bracket the sides of your head as he attempted to keep his weight off you.

You heard Klaus laugh and when you glanced up at him, he was considering you with a soft, thoughtful look on his face. 

"Hey," he whispered, reaching up to card his fingers through your hair. 

"Hey," you echoed, not really sure what was going on, but knowing that you wanted more. More touching and more Klaus. 

Klaus pressed down, his lips brushing against yours. "This okay?" 

"Just shut up and kiss me," you breathed, bringing your hand up to press it to the back of his neck, pulling him down into a kiss.

That night, you took Klaus back to your apartment. It was in a building owned by Bobby's boyfriend, Simon. You were grateful that you never had to pay rent, so long as you were working for Bobby and helping him out. It meant that for the first time in your life, you felt like you truly had a home, and you were more than happy to share it with Klaus. 

You planned on getting dinner and seeing where the night took you, but that all went out the window the second Klaus stepped foot in your apartment. You only had to share one look with him before you were all over each other, barely managing to make it back to your bedroom, a trail of clothes left in your wake. 

Later, after you were both more than content with how you chose to spend the night, Klaus got up to use your bathroom. Thanks to your power, you usually felt cold. You had to bundle up in the middle of summer, a pervasive chill beneath your skin that always left you seeking warmth. 

You had yourself wrapped up in your comforter by the time Klaus got back. You saw him pause in the doorway of your room, a grin on his face as he watched you attempt to warm yourself up. 

"You still have that problem? I thought you would have grown out of that by now," he said as he approached your bed. 

"Yeah, well, you're still kind of an ass. I guess there's some things we'll never truly shed."

Klaus smirked at you before he reached for the edge of your comforter, ignoring your indignant whine. 

"Don't worry. I'll keep you warm," he purred, finally managing to pull the comforter out of your grip. He slipped beneath the covers with you, pressing himself against you. "So, how about another round?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows at you. 

You couldn't help but laugh, moving to wrap your arms around his waist in an effort to get closer to him, soaking in his warmth. "Sounds like a plan," you told him, pulling him in for a kiss.


	4. Under My Umbrella (Klaus Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Can I request a prompt with Klaus x reader, where they are on a date night in a bar, and one of reader's ex shows up drunk and aggressive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might have ended up with a bit more fluff than the request probably warranted. Title comes from Umbrella by Rihanna ft. Jay-Z. Because, well, you’ll see. 😂

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" You glanced up at the front of the bar, trepidation filling you. 

"Oh, come on," Klaus said as he herded you through the front doors of the bar. "Live a little. We all need a bit of fun from time to time." 

You quirked an eyebrow at him. "If this is you having a bit of fun, then I don't want to know what you do when you really go wild." 

Klaus wrapped his arm around your waist, moving until he was pressed up against your back. He put his chin on your shoulder, surveying the bar with you. "Did you forget how we met?" 

There was no way you would ever forget the day Klaus Hargreeves stumbled into your life. 

You had been working the night shift at Queen's Mini-Mart, a convenience store that offered a variety of goods from snacks to lottery tickets to beer, when a guy with a pink feather boa draped over his shoulders had walked inside. You were the only one on shift, since your boss trusted you could handle closing the store late at night with orders to call him if you had any trouble with unruly customers. 

You didn't think your boss counted on Klaus Hargreeves to literally trip through the door, his arms wind milling in an attempt to keep himself upright. He shot you a wink before he righted himself, his hands coming up to straighten the boa draped around his shoulders. 

You watched him peruse the aisles, picking up different bags of chips and snacks cakes, all while muttering to himself. You caught the way he glanced quickly to the door and then you, as if judging the distance and the likelihood of you managing to run him down if he chose to make a run for it. 

You huffed out a laugh, shaking your head in exasperated amusement. "You know, you could be less obvious." 

The guy looked up at you, managing to point to himself with a 'who, me?' expression on his face. 

"You're the only customer in here," you pointed out. 

The guy glanced around, seemingly just realizing that it was only the two of you inside the store. 

You snorted, barely resisting the urge to roll your eyes. "You really are the worst shoplifter." 

The guy sighed before dropping everything to the floor, moving to step over the pile of foodstuffs on the floor. 

"Hey! Who do you think is going to have to clean that up?" 

The guy glanced back at the food on the floor and then to you, before he rolled his eyes. You watched him hastily stuff the food back on the shelves, not even bothering to put them back in the right place. You hissed out an annoyed breath before you moved around the counter, moving to place the items back where they belonged. 

"So, hey," the guy started, leaning against the magazine display case. "What's your name?" 

"Why do you want to know?" You could tell that the guy was either high or drunk. Or both, you thought to yourself when you saw him sway on his feet, knocking into the display case. 

"Isn't that what you're supposed to ask a pretty girl when you see her?" He waggled his eyebrows, as if you were supposed to be impressed. 

You could admit to yourself that he was definitely attractive and most likely your type, but based on your previous track record, you were more than a little skeptical at the idea of flirting with him. 

You sighed, placing the last snack cake back into its box, before turning to give him your full attention. 

"Y/N," you finally offered. "And yours?" 

"Klaus," he answered, reaching out a hand for you to shake. 

You reached out to clasp his hand in yours, gasping when he reeled you in until you were pressed against him. 

"So," he whispered as he studied you, his eyes dipping for a moment to take you in. "What are the odds that I get to spend the rest of the night seeing your pretty face?" 

_Not good_ , was what you thought you should have answered. _Get lost_ , was probably the logical answer. You had never been good at denying yourself a chance with a hot guy, though. And one really good look at Klaus with his ridiculously gorgeous green eyes and the near-hopeful expression he was wearing was enough to crumble your pitiful resolve. 

You had always thought it was highly convenient that your boss let you rent the apartment above the store. You didn't have an annoying commute and could simply trudge upstairs at the end of your shift and fall right into bed. 

You thought it was also incredibly lucky that you were able to lock up that night and lead Klaus up to your apartment. By the time you were walking up the stairs with Klaus right behind you, he had managed to partially sober up and you were no longer hesitant to cave to his advances. 

That wasn't the only night you would end up spending in Klaus Hargreeves' company. He would prove to be a constant distraction for you over the next couple of years, in and out of your life so often that you were no longer surprised when he showed up at the store in the middle of the night, a hopeful look on his face. 

It wasn't until a few weeks ago when things took a serious turn between you. You were having a bad day, ignoring calls from your ex and dealing with family drama, when Klaus had come into the shop. You weren't in the mood for the usual hook-up, knowing he would just walk out of your life again. You had no problem telling him you weren’t in the mood for his usual penchant for whirling into your life and then right back out of it. You were starting to think you needed some form of stability where your love life was concerned and as much as you might have liked the guy, Klaus Hargreeves seemed like the least likely candidate for that. 

You remembered the thoughtful look on his face as he leaned against the front counter, his green eyes pulling you in like always. "What if I stayed?" His tone was careful, as if he wasn't sure if you would actually appreciate his suggestion. 

You studied him for a moment, not wanting to get this wrong. "What? Like, a relationship?" 

Klaus bit his lip, a smirk slowly tugging at the corners of his lips. "Just for kicks," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders. 

You raised an eyebrow, shooting him an unimpressed look. "If you're only doing this on a whim, then maybe we shouldn't be doing this anymore." 

You saw the brief panicked flash in his eyes before he reached out to grab your hand. "Wait, no. That's not what I meant," he insisted. "I meant," he started, squeezing your hand as he pulled you closer to him over the counter. "Do you want to get dinner with me one night?" 

You considered him for a moment, looking for any sign that the sincerity in his tone was somehow fake. Finally, you managed to smile, pulling him in for a kiss. "I'd love to," you breathed against his mouth before kissing him again. 

Now, as you glanced around the bar, you felt a bit of unease at the thought of spending the night in this type of establishment. 

"I don't know," you said, glancing to Klaus. "I don't think this is my kind of place." 

"You'll be fine," he assured you. "And if you end up hating me after spending an hour in this place, then we'll leave." 

"Fine," you reluctantly conceded. 

You saw a devious grin appear on his face and felt your heart beat faster, knowing it couldn't mean anything good. 

"But that means you have to give everything a try," he explained. He nodded up towards the front of the bar, making sure you knew what he was trying to tell you. 

"You mean I have to go up there?" You felt anxious at just the thought of calling attention to yourself. Klaus usually had no trouble being the center of attention in most cases, but you were more likely to stray further away from the spotlight. "Klaus, no," you said, shaking your head. You turned to try to leave, but he grabbed your arm. 

"Klaus, yes," he insisted. "Come on, Y/N," he wheedled, shooting you a pleading look. "For me?" 

"Damn it," you groaned when he poked his lower lip out in a pout, his eyes going wide as he brought his hands up beneath his chin. "Don't do that." 

"Do what?" He fluttered his lashes, not even bothering to hide the pleased grin on his face when you turned back to face the bar. 

"I'll only go through with it after a few drinks. Deal?" 

"Deal," he readily agreed. "Let's get some liquid courage in you." 

After a rum and coke chased with two shots of vodka, you finally managed to convince yourself to move up to the stage. There wasn't anyone in line, so you were able to climb right up on stage after talking to the guy situated at the table next to it. 

You could see Klaus sitting at your table, a delighted expression on his face as he watched you take your place behind the microphone stand. 

_Karaoke_ , you thought to yourself. _It just had to be karaoke._

As the first notes of the song played, you caught the amused grin on Klaus' face. 

You had chosen a song that was mostly a dig at Klaus and his superhero past, knowing he wouldn't take it as anything other than your attempt to tease him. But you couldn’t help but think to yourself that the song was also an appropriate nod to your unique relationship with Klaus. 

You waited for your turn to sing, pushing down the muted anxiety you felt at the idea of performing for a room full of strangers. 

When you saw the first word light up, you opened your mouth, singing the words on the screen. 

_You have my heart_

_And we'll never be worlds apart_

It wasn't until you were halfway through the song when you spotted him. 

You faltered, accidentally skipping a few words as your eyes caught sight of your ex sitting off to the side of the stage. 

There was a nasty smirk on his face as you watched him watch you. He pushed himself out of his seat and you hastily glanced away, not wanting to give him any more of your attention. 

You knew that once you were done with the song and off the stage, you would beg Klaus to leave. You didn't want to stay one second more in the bar if it meant Jason was there. He had been nothing but an asshole to you during the time you dated and if he was around, then you knew that it was only going to put a strain on the rest of your night. 

Once the song was over, you placed the microphone back in the stand and moved to jump off the stage. Before you could make a beeline towards Klaus, there were fingers wrapping around your bicep. You were pulled around until you were facing your ex. 

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Jason sneered. "What the fuck are you doing here, Y/N? You've never been any fun. Never thought I'd run into you here." There was a bit of slur to his words and his eyes were glassy as he regarded you. 

"Let me go," you hissed, pulling your arm out of his grip. “You’re drunk. That doesn’t give you an excuse to be an asshole.” 

"Why don't you answer my calls anymore? Don't tell me you've already found someone else," Jason said, seemingly outright ignoring everything you just told him. 

"Just fuck off," you snarled. "I'm not answering your calls because you're a dick who cheated on me." 

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yeah? Well, I wouldn't have if you weren't such a bitch." He reached out to grab at your arm again, disregarding your attempt to pull away from him. 

It was then that Klaus jumped on Jason, colliding with his back as he wrapped himself around him, bringing both of them to the floor. 

You watched Klaus hastily stand, moving until he was standing in front of you, his arm shielding you from your ex. 

Jason groaned, rubbing his forehead where it had smacked against the floor. "Who the fuck are you?" He glanced up at Klaus, a scowl on his face. 

"That's none of your business," you told Jason. You reached out to tug on the sleeve of Klaus' coat. "Let's just go, Klaus. We can still salvage the night somewhere else." 

"Oh," Jason breathed, a grin curling the corners of his mouth. "Is this the guy who replaced me? Buddy, you should get the fuck out while you still can. She’s not worth it." 

"You're the guy she dumped?" Klaus considered Jason for a moment, blatantly checking him out. He glanced to you. "I thought you said he was hot? Is this a different guy?" 

You saw Jason surge forward, his fist raised. You pulled Klaus back, intent on getting him out of the way. Jason's clumsy attempt at a swing missed, but before he could go after Klaus again, the bouncer was there. 

"Alright, guy, get the hell out of here," he said, reaching out to put a hand on Jason's shoulder. 

Jason looked like he was going to fight the bouncer too, before he rolled his eyes, yielding to the bouncer’s attempt to get him out of the bar. Jason shot you a glare as he passed you, a scowl on his face as Klaus gleefully flipped him off as he was escorted out the front door. 

You fought past the urge to go home, knowing that if you did, then you were just letting Jason ruin your night. You weren’t going to let him bring you down any more. You resolved to enjoy the rest of your date with Klaus and put all thoughts of Jason to rest. 

You turned to look at Klaus, an amused smirk on your face. "My hero," you crooned, affecting a swoon to further tease him. 

"Yeah, yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. He pulled you in for a kiss, effectively shutting you up when you opened your mouth to pick at him a bit more. 

When you pulled away, licking your lips absently to chase the taste of him, you shot him a playful glance. You nodded up towards the stage before you wrapped your fingers around his forearm, beginning to tug him over towards the table with the sign-up sheet and book of available songs. 

You heard him groan in frustration, instinctively knowing what you wanted from him. 

You shot him a wicked grin over your shoulder. "Turnabout is fair play, Klaus, and I do believe it's your turn."


	5. In Hell I'll Be In Good Company (Lila Pitts/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can you do a Lila x gender neutral reader who’s one of the 43 with the ability to manipulate electricity and works for the commission who worked with Lila during the standoff and gets injured by one of the sibling to which Lila drops everything and runs to you make sure you’re okay (props if the reader is on the brink of unconsciousness)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might not be exactly what you wanted, but I hope you still like it! Thank you so much for your request. I think it helped me with my writer’s block.

For as long as you could remember, it was just the two of you against the world. Your world revolved around Lila and you took comfort in having her at your side. She was your partner. She was your friend. She understood you better than anyone because she was just like you. 

She was your everything. 

You were only ten years old when The Handler rescued you. Your parents were killed in a car accident, leaving you all alone. You remembered a woman coming to your house and telling you she was going to take you far away. She said she would give you anything you wanted. She said you would have a family again. 

The woman encouraged you to call her Mom, but only when you were alone. In a professional setting, she insisted that you call her The Handler. You only ever called her The Handler, though. You were loyal to her, since she took you in, but she wasn’t your mom. 

You were scared of her at first, until she introduced you to Lila. 

"This is my daughter, Lila," The Handler said as she beckoned over a girl who looked as if she was the same age as you. "Lila, this is Y/N." 

"Nice to meet you," Lila said as she held out her hand for you to shake. 

You reached to take her hand, but jumped back at the spark of electricity that jumped from her hand towards yours. You gasped and stared down at her hand, watching the blue lightning shift from her fingers to the palm of her hand and then up her arm. 

"You're like me? You can do what I can do?" You asked with awe in your voice. 

"Lila is special just like you," The Handler confirmed. "But she's just a little bit more special." 

"I can mimic powers," Lila explained, a small grin on her face as she shook out her arm, dispelling the lightning. "Mum saved me a few years ago like she saved you." 

"Oh," you breathed, not quite sure what to make of Lila or anything else that was happening. 

"Well, I have to get to work," The Handler said. "I’ve got people to manage and a timeline to protect. Lila, I trust you'll make Y/N feel at home. Training resumes tomorrow. Make sure you’re both ready." 

"Got it, Mum," Lila insisted. 

Lila did her best to explain what was happening that day, but it took you months to fully begin to adapt to The Handler's plan for your life. 

Over the years, you trained with Lila and learned to rely on her. She had your back and you had hers. The Handler assigned you to each other as partners, which only further strengthened your bond. 

You told Lila everything and she confided in you. Some nights, when you couldn't sleep because of the countless nightmares that plagued you, you would seek her out. She welcomed you into her room time and again, soothing you enough to lull you into a peaceful, dreamless sleep. 

She always made time for you and never made you feel bad for not throwing yourself headfirst into the life of a Temps Commission agent. She knew you had your reservations and she never betrayed your trust by telling The Handler. 

As you got older, you started to realize that you thought of her as more than just your partner. You didn't quite understand why you only wanted Lila's attention for yourself. You didn't like it when she admired the other Temps Commission agents. You wanted her to look at you like you were the best thing in her world, because that was how you felt about her. 

When The Handler got to be a bit too much for you, Lila was there to comfort you. She talked you into staying when you wanted to run and she helped you train your powers. Together, it felt like you were unstoppable. 

When The Handler was bested by Five and then Hazel, you thought for a moment that maybe you were finally free. You wanted to tell Lila that you didn't owe the Temps Commission anything. Both of you could just steal one of the remaining briefcases and make a run for it. 

But it turned out that you weren't so lucky. The Handler survived a bullet to the head and you were still stuck in her clutches. 

When The Handler fell from grace within the company, she devised a plan to take down Five while reclaiming her position and authority. 

She asked you to spy on the Hargreeves family throughout the 1960s and get a better idea of their powers, while she sent Lila to infiltrate them. 

You thought it would be like any other mission. It wasn't the first time The Handler had used you and Lila to do her dirty work. You just had to gather intel and pass it on so it would help further the mission. You expected to laugh about the ridiculous Hargreeves siblings with Lila and plot to take them down to avenge the woman who called herself your mother. 

You didn't except for Lila to catch feelings for one of the Hargreeves siblings. You didn't expect for it to feel like a punch to the gut every time she acted like she didn't have feelings for Diego Hargreeves when you knew that there was only one reason why she would hold onto to the bracelet he made while she was keeping tabs on him when they were both locked up. You knew there was only one reason why she would defy The Handler in order to bring him closer into her orbit. 

You knew about Lila’s feelings for Diego and you hated him all the more for catching her attention. 

You only got one opportunity to talk to her about her feelings for Diego. You waited for her to leave Diego for his orientation before you grabbed her arm, steering her towards an alcove where the two of you could have some privacy. 

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?" You glanced around to make sure you were truly alone before focusing on her. 

"What? Mum gave me a team and said I could choose whoever I want. I want Diego." She studied you for a moment before she offered you a smile. "And you, of course. Unless Mum gives you your own team. But I doubt she'll split us up." 

"He shouldn't be here," you hissed at her. "He doesn't belong here. Not with us. Not with you." 

"I trust him," Lila insisted. "He's a bit like a puppy, yeah? I just have to train him." 

"Are you fucking kidding me? You barely know him. He's never going to be loyal to you. Not like I am," you stressed, feeling like you were struggling for breath. 

Lila froze before she carefully considered you. It was then you realized that you had revealed way too much about your feelings for her. You were giving everything away, because if there was anyone who would be able to read you, it was Lila. She would know and that was unacceptable. 

"Whatever," you scoffed. "Do what you want. I just hope you're ready to kill him when it all goes sideways." 

You turned and walked away, leaving her to call after you. 

And even though you would never hope for Lila to get her heart broken, everything did go sideways. She came to you, seething and in a rage, as she showed you a kill order numbered 743. 

"Oh, fuck," you breathed as you took in the contents of the file. "Are you sure?" 

"What's there to question? AJ ordered the hit and Five carried it out. And Diego was covering for his brother this whole time." 

You frowned down at the file. "I don't know," you mused. "Something doesn't feel right about this, Lila. Why you? If the company killed your parents, then does that mean they went after mine too?" 

"Maybe," Lila conceded. "What do we really know about any of this? The only one who's been watching out for us this whole time has been Mum." 

You grimaced at the pages before you. 

"Oh, come off it," Lila sighed. "She took us in when we could have been on the streets. She taught us to defend ourselves and always pushed us to be better." 

"Yeah, but why?" You asked as you finally looked up at her. "What's in it for her?" 

"The joy of being a parent?" Lila offered with a shrug of her shoulders. "She's been right about Five and the others this whole time. And it's almost showtime. I'm going to show them all exactly what I can do. I'll make them pay." 

At your silence, Lila moved to put a hand on your shoulder. 

"Hey, we're in this together, right? It's not just me that's going to give them hell. You'll be there too. And I'll watch out for you if any of them try to get the drop on you." 

You finally offered her a small, genuine smile. "Yeah, okay," you conceded. "Let's take them all down." 

When it came time to finally confront the Hargreeves family, you were content to let Lila take center stage. It didn't matter what she had to say. You knew that this was well and truly Lila's show. 

After the others realized that Lila could mimic their powers, The Handler set the both of you on the Hargreeves siblings. Lila grabbed your hand and transported both of you from the center of the field where numerous Temps Commission agents had fallen at the hands of Vanya Hargreeves and brought you both closer to the farmhouse where the others were all still attempting to pull themselves together. Various Hargreeves family members were scattered about the property, but you knew Luther and Number Five were inside the house. 

Lila patted you on the shoulder and nodded at the house. "They're in there. Let's scare them out." 

You nodded your head and focused on the house. You extended your arms, calling forth your power to strike the house with bolts of electricity. Sparks erupted from within the house as you knocked the power out and you heard someone shout something from within before Lila shot you a grin. 

"That's my cue," she said before she left you in a flash of blue light. 

"Hey!" You heard someone call from behind you. 

You turned to see Allison Hargreeves approaching. You didn't allow her the opportunity to get closer as you shot your arm out, aiming a blast of lightning in her direction. 

She dove for cover behind the corner of the house just as Luther Hargreeves came crashing through the wall and landed on the lawn in front of you. 

"Luther!" Allison shouted, rushing to his side, seemingly forgetting about the threat you posed. 

"That was easy," Lila crowed as she peeked through the hole in the wall. She jumped down to the ground before she moved to stand at your side. "Big lump was out with just one hit. Your boyfriend's not as strong as he thinks he is," Lila told Allison with a smirk on her face. 

"Oh, yeah? Well, you haven't fought me yet," Allison taunted as she got to her feet. 

You stepped forward to defend Lila, but she shook her head. "Five's in there," she told you as she nodded towards the house. "Go get him and I'll join you in a moment." 

"Fine," you sighed, shooting her one last look before you climbed through the hole in the side of the house. 

You searched the living room and the kitchen for Five, but you didn't get a chance to so much as use your power on him before you felt a blow to the back of your head. 

"Fuck," you hissed as you fell to the floor. You were barely able to keep yourself from sprawling on the floor by propping yourself up on your hands and knees, but one more hit to the head had you collapsing. You felt like everything was spinning as you attempted to get yourself to focus. 

"You have this all wrong," Five insisted from behind you. 

You managed to roll over to see Five staring down at you. "How could we possibly be wrong?" 

"It's not me you should be fighting," Five continued. "It's the woman who stole you from your parents." 

"What did you do?" Lila growled from the doorway. 

"I was trying to talk some sense into Y/N," Five answered, turning to look at Lila. 

You could feel your grasp on consciousness beginning to slip. There were black spots in your vision and no matter how hard you tried to force yourself to get up off the floor, you couldn't seem to make yourself cooperate. 

You heard Lila shout in anger before she used your power to shoot a bolt of lightning at Five. You saw Five disappear from the room before the hit could connect. 

Lila rushed to your side, her hands cupping your face as she tried to get you to focus on her. "I'm going to kill that little asshole," she hissed. 

You felt your eyes slip closed before you managed to get them open again. "Lila," you croaked before your eyes closed again. 

"Rest now," Lila whispered before she leaned forward to brush a kiss against your temple. "Let me take care of the rest." 

You wanted to protest and insist that it was supposed to be the both of you against the Hargreeves family. You wanted to tell her that you were supposed to have her back no matter what. You didn't want to be left behind. 

You felt everything go dark before you could even get a word out. 

When you woke, it was to the feeling of someone lightly trailing their fingers over your face. 

"Lila?" You groaned, forcing your eyes to open so you could see her leaning over you. 

She smiled down at you, something sad and somber about her expression. 

"What's going on?" 

Lila sighed before she shook her head. "Five was right," she begrudgingly admitted. "Mum fucked us over. She killed my parents. She arranged for yours to have that accident. She stole us to be her weapons." 

You frowned up at her, realizing then that your head was resting in her lap. "What happened?" 

"A lot of shit," Lila got out on a helpless laugh. "Mum is dead and it turns out we have more in common with the Hargreeves family than we might have wanted. But none of that matters right now. We've got a while before anyone comes after us." 

"What about the farm? Where are we?" 

"I stole a briefcase and got us the hell out of there the first chance I got," Lila explained. "Brought us here to this safehouse and waited for you to wake up. Now, we can go anywhere and do whatever we want. We don't owe anyone anything." 

"What about to each other? Without the company, are we still partners?" You didn't want to find out what it would be like to not have her in your life. You didn't want to go anywhere or do anything without Lila, but you weren't so sure she would feel like she owed you the same loyalty. 

Lila quirked an eyebrow at you before gifting you a reassuring grin. "I'm not going anywhere and you're not going anywhere. It's just us now. Like it always should be." 

"I can live with that," you told her as relief filled you at the idea that maybe things were looking up after all.


	6. I'm Still Standing [part one] (Diego Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have an umbrella academy Diego/reader request if you’re still accepting them. Reader has just left an abusive relationship and her friend Diego teaches her how to defend herself, and she realises that he’s been there for her all along. Bonus points If you can somehow work in the rest of the academy butting in on one of their training sessions to give her terrible/conflicting advice on how to fight. Thank you”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for minor character death and an abusive relationship (not between Diego and reader). I tried to gloss over it as much as possible, but it still happens. Please take note of the warnings and take care of yourselves. 💖 To the anon who requested this, there will be a second part that features the rest of your request. I’m sorry this has taken me so long!

When your brother met Diego Hargreeves during their days at the police academy, you never would have thought he would become a fixture in your life. One week, Jason came back to your shared apartment talking about a guy who used to be a superhero, and the next he was inviting Diego over for dinner. 

Your first impression of Diego Hargreeves wasn't favorable. He spent most of the dinner avoiding looking at you while droning on and on about the crime rate that still plagued the city. He seemed more than happy to eat the dinner and dessert you and your brother made, but didn't seem all that interested in you. 

"Does he hate me?" You couldn't help but ask Jason once Diego left. 

"Who? Hargreeves?" 

"Yeah," you answered. "He barely even looked at me." 

"Oh," Jason got out on a laugh. "I told him if he so much as thought about my sister as anyone other than a friend, then I'd make him regret it. I probably can't take him, but just give me a few months to bulk up," he said as he flexed his biceps. 

"Jason! What the fuck? That awkward dinner was all your fault," you accused as you glared at him. 

Jason grinned, shrugging his shoulders as if unbothered, before he reached out to steal the last lemon square. You were quick to swat his hand away before he could grab it. 

"Ow! What was that for?" 

"Assholes don't deserve extra dessert," you grumbled before you stole the last lemon square for yourself. 

"Then why do you get it?" 

You glared at Jason before you rolled your eyes and split the square. You handed him half, making a noise of protest when he reached out to ruffle your hair. 

"Such an asshole," you grumbled. 

You got used to your brother bringing Diego by the apartment every so often. Each time he graced you with his presence, Diego would be polite, thank you for dinner, and then leave. Even when Diego dropped out of the police academy, he still made time to visit you and your brother for dinner every few weeks. 

While you were glad Jason had a friend, you also couldn't help but begin to count Diego as a friend as well. Sometimes, Diego would arrive at your apartment early for the monthly dinner he shared with you and Jason. Your friendship bloomed during those moments when it was just the two of you waiting for Jason to get home from work. As more time passed, you realized you didn’t mind Jason’s absence as much, since it gifted you the opportunity to get to know Diego without your brother making his usual quips. 

Over time, you learned about Diego's past. He told you a little about his family as well as his days as a former superhero. He told you about his job at the Fighting Lion while you told him about your job as a clerk in a bookstore. You also found yourself telling him all about the free time you spent playing the viola in an orchestra ensemble at the Icarus. 

You started to look forward to the moments when it was just the two of you, the apartment only filled with the sound of your voices. It was in those moments when Diego shifted firmly from being categorized as nothing other than ‘Jason’s friend,’ in your mind to someone you began to anticipate spending time with. 

One night, a few years after you started having monthly dinners with Jason and Diego, you were just pulling the lasagna out of the oven when there was a frantic knocking on the front door of your apartment. 

"Hold on!" You rushed to place the lasagna on the stove before you dropped the towel you used as a potholder on the table as you passed it. 

You expected to find Diego or maybe even Jason, since he was forever forgetting his keys, but you weren't expecting to see Diego accompanied by Eudora Patch. 

"Patch? Are you joining us for dinner?" You didn't know much about her except she was your brother's partner on the force and you thought she used to date Diego. 

"I'm afraid not," she said, a grimace on her face. "Look, Y/N, there's something I have to tell you." 

It only took one look at the way Diego was carefully avoiding your gaze for you to understand what was happening. "Please tell me he's in the hospital," you pleaded. 

When Patch's face fell, you knew you weren't going to get the answer you wanted. 

The next few days passed in a daze for you. Diego was right by your side as you took care of funeral arrangements and fielded calls from distant family members who wondered what you were going to do without your parents and your brother in your life. When it all got to be a little too much for you to handle, Diego would be right there to tell everyone else to fuck off until you were able to breathe again. 

Diego took to sleeping on the couch at night, his constant reassurance that he was there for you no matter what going a long way towards helping you process your grief. 

When weeks passed and Diego still showed up at your apartment nearly every night, you couldn't help but wonder why he was still bothering with you. 

"Why are you still here, Diego? Jason's gone. Isn't that why you hung around in the first place?" 

"I'm here because I promised your brother that I'd look out for you. Besides, you're my friend and you're going through something. There's nowhere else I'd rather be." 

"Thanks, Diego," you faltered, not sure what to say at the sincere expression on his face. If there was ever a moment when you doubted Diego’s care for you, it was completely washed away in that moment. 

"Don't mention it,” he dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Now, you said something about pizza?" 

Over the next couple of years, Diego remained a steady presence in your life. He still came over for monthly dinners and sometimes you brought him lunch at the Fighting Lion. And then there were the times you would treat each other to coffee. 

It was his turn to treat you, so you were waiting for him to pick you up outside the Icarus. You had just finished rehearsal and you were more than ready for your caffeine fix before having to go to work. 

"Hey!" Diego called, catching your attention as he approached you. "Ready to go? I'm parked just down the street." 

"Yeah," you answered, moving to hand him your viola case so you could pull on your coat. Just when you were reaching out to take your instrument back, you heard someone call Diego's name. 

You turned to see Vanya watching Diego uncertainly, her brows furrowed in confusion. 

"Vanya," Diego acknowledged with a nod. "What are you doing here?" 

"I uh, well I play here," Vanya answered as she gestured towards the Icarus. 

"Right," Diego said as he glanced at you. "Well, we should really be going," he continued as he reached out to wrap his fingers around your wrist. 

"Oh, okay," Vanya muttered. "Goodbye, Diego. See you later, Y/N." 

You looked over your shoulder to see Vanya wave and managed to offer her a smile. "See you, Vanya," you called as Diego kept pulling you down the sidewalk and away from Vanya. 

It took some wheedling, but you finally got Diego to admit that Vanya was his sister. 

“What? You never thought it was strange we had the same last name?” He asked as he quirked an eyebrow at you. 

“We don’t speak that often,” you pointed out with a shrug of your shoulders. “I didn’t know her last name.” 

“You should really start being more observant,” Diego reprimanded before he took a sip of coffee. 

"Why didn't you invite her to join us?" You couldn't help but wonder, frowning at Diego across the cafe table. 

Diego shrugged his shoulders, glancing away from you. "Haven't really spoken to her all that much lately." 

You watched him for a moment, seeming to understand everything he wasn't saying. He didn't get along with Vanya. He didn't want to spend time with her. He didn't seem to miss her as much as you couldn't stand the thought of never seeing Jason again. They weren’t close. 

You decided to let it go, since you knew that if you pushed Diego on it, then he would only close himself off even more. 

When you saw Vanya at the next rehearsal, you weren't sure if you were supposed to say anything to her. You planned on maybe bringing up Diego after rehearsal, but Vanya surprised you by approaching you just before you were supposed to begin. 

"So, how long have you been dating Diego?" 

You were so shocked by the question that you almost dropped your instrument. You couldn't help but laugh as you carefully placed it in your seat and turned to look at her. "We're not dating," you told her with an amused grin. 

"Are you sure about that?" She asked as she quirked an eyebrow at you. "You two seemed really close." 

"He was my brother's friend," you explained with a shrug of your shoulders. "Pretty sure he only sees me as a friend too." 

Vanya didn't look like she believed you, but before she could say anything else, rehearsal was called to begin. 

You were distracted throughout rehearsal, since you couldn't help but think about Vanya's words. 

You had always assumed what you had with Diego was simply friendship, but did he want it to be more? You shook the thought off, since it seemed so ridiculous to you. Diego was only interested in you because he felt like he owed your brother. 

There was no hidden meaning to the way he kept showing up in your life and taking you out for coffee and showing up for dinner every month. There was nothing to the way your breath hitched whenever you saw his face light up because of something you said or the fluttering feeling in your stomach whenever his arm brushed against yours when you were sitting next to him. What you had with Diego was nothing more than friendship. Right? 

You weren't sure if you set out to prove that Diego wasn't interested in you and you similarly weren’t interested in him by dating someone completely unlike him, but you found yourself gravitating towards a guy who regularly came into the bookshop every week to buy a new stack of novels. Where Diego was prickly and tough, Brad seemed downright sweet and gentle. He came into the store and told you terrible jokes and smirked to himself when you laughed. He offered to buy you lunch and walk you home if you were working late. He seemed perfect and he made it so easy to fall for him while you were so desperate for a distraction. 

You should have known not to read a book by its cover, though. 

Your relationship with Brad went from okay to bad to worse. You didn't want to believe that someone who seemed so sweet on the outside could be so monstrous on the inside, but with each passing day, you had to slowly concede defeat. 

Brad put you through a hell you never thought you'd suffer at the hands of another person. He not only made you fear for your safety, but your emotional health as well. You could feel yourself slipping away the longer you allowed for him to be in your life and it became easier to justify everything he was doing to you. 

On the night it all fell apart, you were watching a movie with Brad in your apartment. You felt like you could barely relax, practically sitting on the edge of your seat. You were always so worried that something would set him off that you felt like you could hardly breathe whenever he was in the room. 

You weren't sure what caused him to snap that night. You only knew that everything seemed fine and then you were on the floor. There was a ringing in your ears and your head was throbbing with fresh pulses of pain. You were barely aware of his spiteful words as you managed to push yourself to your feet. 

As you looked back to Brad sitting on the couch you saved up to buy with Jason in the apartment you shared with Jason, you finally realized you had to do something. Your apartment used to feel like a safe haven, but Brad was a demon you had willingly let inside and weren’t sure how to exorcise. 

When Brad focused back on your television, acting as if nothing was wrong, you realized you had enough. 

You felt a thrill of fear course through you as you rushed to leave the apartment. You didn't stop to grab anything for fear that it would only give Brad the opportunity to grab you. 

During the months you spent with Brad, your weekly visits with Diego had been cut off. Brad had been jealous of Diego's presence in your life and Diego had let you push him away. As you got down to the street and took off in what you thought was a random direction, you realized your feet were carrying you in the direction of the Fighting Lion. 

You weren't really sure how you managed to make it there, but it seemed like one moment you were racing across the city crosswalks without a care for the cars that had to screech to a halt because of you and the next you were shaking on Diego's bed as you waited for him to show up. 

Nothing felt real to you as you waited there in the dark. Your mind seemed stuck back in that apartment with Brad, as if you were still just waiting for the other shoe to drop. To you, the fact that it had well and truly dropped long before that night still hadn't caught up to you. 

"Y/N? What the hell are you doing here?" 

You winced when Diego turned on the lights. You lifted your face to see him, noting how his expression went from confused to alarmed to furious. 

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked as he quickly crossed the room until he was standing in front of you. He reached up to brush his fingers against your cheek, but you flinched away before he could make contact. 

You noticed the crestfallen expression on his face and you couldn't help but let out a humorless chuckle. "You're still wearing that dumb mask." 

"Shit," he swore before he hastily reached up to tug off his domino mask. "Y/N," he called, his voice going soft as he crouched down to try to get a better look at you. 

You felt your shoulders relax at having him on your level and not looming over you. "It was Brad," you whispered as you glanced away from him. 

"I'm going to kill him," Diego growled as he quickly got to his feet. 

"Diego, wait," you stalled as you reached out to grab his hand. "Don't do something that'll get you thrown in jail forever." You knew Diego was a bit of a hothead and while he might not actually kill Brad, he would probably end up doing a lot worse to the man who had reduced you to pieces of your former self. 

Diego sighed, his shoulders slumping, before he moved to tentatively sit next to you on the edge of his bed. "This okay?" He asked, careful to keep his grip on your hand loose in case you wanted to pull away. 

You nodded your head before closing your eyes. You tried to steady your breathing, knowing that if you fell apart now, then you wouldn't be able to ask Diego what you needed to. "Will you do me a favor?" 

"Anything," he immediately promised. 

"Can you go to my apartment and kick him out if he's still there? That's the apartment I shared with Jason. I don't want Brad there ever again," you told Diego as you forced yourself to open your eyes and look at him. 

"I can do that," he assured you as he moved to stand. "But are you sure I can't kill him?" 

You squeezed his hand tight, glad that it was still in your hold. "I need you," you admitted as you met his eyes. 

Diego seemed momentarily surprised by your words before his expression smoothed out into one you couldn't recognize. "I'll be back soon," he told you before he slowly pulled his hand free of yours. He tugged his domino mask back on before he turned to leave. "Feel free to lock up after me," he offered as he reached out to grab the doorknob. He froze for a moment, as if he wasn't sure if he really wanted to leave you, before he sighed and left the room. 

You were tempted to lock the door after Diego, but you also didn't want to leave his bed. You settled for curling up on the edge of his bed and keeping watch on the door in case anyone besides Diego walked through it. 

You weren't sure when you managed to drift off, but you were woken up by the feeling of someone draping a blanket over you. You startled, immediately reaching up to push the person away, but relaxed when you realized it was Diego. 

"It's just me," he whispered as he took a step away from you, holding his hands up. "Go back to sleep." 

You squinted up at him before pushing yourself to sit up. "How did it go?" 

Diego shrugged his shoulders, moving to put his back to you. You still caught a glimpse of his bruised and bloody knuckles. "He's not going to be a problem for you anymore. And if he's stupid enough to show up again, then call me. I've got a knife with his name on it. Brad," Diego scoffed as he started stripping off his shirt. "You should have known the guy was a douchebag with a name like that." 

You scowled at Diego before you moved to push yourself off his bed. It felt a little too much like he was blaming you and you really weren’t in the right frame of mind to handle that. "Thanks for your help," you muttered as you moved to slip your feet back into your sneakers. "I'll just get out of your way." 

"What? No way in hell are you going back to that apartment tonight, Y/N. You can stay here," Diego offered as he moved to pull on a clean t-shirt. "Take my bed and I can sleep in the chair." 

You felt your shoulders lose some of their tension as you considered the chair near the bed with a frown. It looked like it wasn't all that suited for sleeping, so you shook your head. "We can share," you hesitantly pointed out. 

Diego froze where he was halfway through changing into a pair of sweatpants before he carefully nodded his head. "Sure," he responded before he finished pulling on his pants. "That's not going to bother you?" 

"No," you answered, knowing it was the truth. Diego was just about the only person you trusted in that moment and the idea of being closer to him left you feeling like you could relax for the first time in months. 

Diego seemed to take you at your word, because he simply nodded and then turned to switch off the lights. 

You crawled back into his bed, curling up once again on the edge. When Diego turned back towards his bed, he quirked an eyebrow at you before gesturing for you to scoot back. You rolled your eyes and pressed yourself farther away from the edge until you felt your back hit the wall. You rolled over to face the wall, crossing your arms until you were practically hugging yourself. 

You felt the bed dip behind you as Diego settled onto it. There was a strained silence between you before you heard Diego sigh. "You need anything?" 

You felt like you were barely a person after the events of the last few months. You felt like you had lost yourself along the way and bits and pieces of you were drifting away out of reach. You knew what you needed, but you weren't sure if it was your place to ask for it. 

You drew in a deep, shuddering breath before you decided to try your luck. 

"Hold me?" 

You felt Diego freeze behind you. You were sure you had fucked it all up. It was one thing for the guy to defend your honor, but to ask for something so intimate in the same night? You were already thinking about just crawling out of his bed and going back to your apartment when you felt his arm wrap around your waist. 

You could just feel the brush of his chest against your back. He felt so tense that you were sure he was thinking of a million different reasons why this was a bad idea. 

You reached down to grab his hand and laced your fingers together. "Thanks, Diego," you whispered, already feeling soothed by the feeling of him at your back, guarding you from the rest of the world. 

You felt Diego huff out a breath before he slowly relaxed against you. 

"Any time, Y/N," he promised before he squeezed your hand. "Now go the hell to sleep."


	7. Shut Up and Dance (Klaus Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus goes out for a night he’s desperate to forget only to find someone he’ll always remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really wanted to write something based on Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon. Klaus seemed to be perfect for it.

Klaus wasn't sure what he wanted out of the night. 

He assumed it would be like most of his nights. He would get high, drink a little too much, and fall into bed with someone. It was a cycle he didn't mind, because a better offer never came along. 

The night's offering seemed to be a rave in an abandoned warehouse, but between the flashing lights and moving bodies, he couldn't focus on anything else besides the pills eating up space in his coat pocket. 

He was only looking for a night to forget. With Reggie dead and his siblings on his case to get in contact with the old man, he needed just a moment to drown out the other ghosts screaming for his attention. He wanted just one night to himself lost in a sea of strangers so he could simply sink his worries until they resurfaced the next day. 

He sighed and pulled the pills free. No one had caught his eye, so he had mostly resigned himself to getting high and losing himself in the press of bodies before him. 

It wasn't until he popped the pills into his mouth and swallowed them that he spotted her. 

She was all by herself across the room, losing herself to a rhythm no one else could hear. 

He wasn't sure how long he watched her, but he startled when her eyes met his from across the room. He noticed her smirk before she slowly began to work her away across the room towards him. 

He felt like he was rooted in place. He wasn't sure he could move even if he wanted to. He let his eyes wander from the way her dress hugged her body to the beat-up Converse sneakers she was wearing. When he met her gaze again, he couldn't help but get lost in her eyes. 

"Hey," she mouthed as she reached out to grab his arm. "What's your name?" She asked, practically yelling to be heard over the beat of the music. 

"Klaus!" He felt her tug on his arm as she pulled him out towards the middle of the floor. "What's yours?"

She turned and reeled him into her. She grinned at him, her smile feeling like a sucker punch to the gut. He felt like he had never been so thoroughly enthralled by someone before and he barely knew a thing about her. 

She pulled him in even closer, pressing all along his front, so she could lean up to whisper in his ear. 

"Y/N," she finally answered, shooting him a wink when she pulled back. She tugged him even further into the crowd and he couldn't help but glance over his shoulder, watching the others press back in and swallow up his only path away from the crowd. 

"Don't look back," Y/N told him as she pressed the tips of her fingers to his jaw, urging him to look at her again. "Just keep your eyes on me and you'll be fine," she promised. 

He didn't know why he was so ready to trust her, but he felt himself nod. 

She shot him a pleased grin before she began to sway to the song. He couldn't help but think it was nothing like the show she was giving earlier. She had seemed so free just moments before, but now pressed up against him, it was like she was containing herself. 

"You're holding back," he observed as he placed his hands on her hips. He tried to get her to stumble off beat, wanting to see her free herself. 

She tipped her head back and laughed as she threw her arms over his shoulders. The look she graced him with in that moment had his breath hitching in anticipation. It was full of promise and good things to come. It was a sight he never wanted to forget, because it made him feel when he thought he only wanted to be numb. 

"Shut up and dance with me!" She shouted before she finally slid into a cadence just a few beats off from everyone around them. 

He realized as the rush of the pills finally hit him and the music faded away, all he could see was her. It was her smile and carefree movements. It was the way she gazed into his eyes, as if imploring him to understand her for just one night. It was the way he felt like he didn't need the pills, because he could get high just on her. 

It was _her_. 

They spent the rest of the night pressed together, sharing moments and drinks. He didn't want the night to end, but there was an exhaustion creeping in that he was desperate to fight if it would just give him one more moment with her. 

When the party finally broke up and she said she had to go home, he wanted to follow. He was so helplessly drawn in by her that he would have followed her anywhere. 

"Don't worry," she assured him as she leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. He had half a mind to turn his head and taste her, but he didn't want to take advantage of what she was willing to offer him. He could be good. He could wait. "You'll see me again, Klaus Hargreeves," she promised before she slipped out of his hold. 

He could only helplessly watch as she walked away from him. 

It wasn't until he was collapsing onto a couch back at the Academy that he thought to wonder how she knew his last name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s my headcanon that reader is one of the 43 with the gift of precognition. I may or may not be tempted to revisit this. Hope you enjoyed!


	8. I've Got a Broken Mask (Ben Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hello there! Would you write a Ben x reader, where Ben and Klaus realized earlier in the 60s, that Ben can possess him and Ben spend a day in his skin. And while he's enjoying himself and the fact that he has a body he meets reader in kind of an awkward way (like he's palms a random thing, or just run around barefoot in the town) and after that they spend the day together?”

"Alright, Benny boy, we've got a few rules to go over before I give you free reign of _this_ ," Klaus emphasized as he gestured up and down his body. 

"Really, Klaus? What do you think I'm going to do?" 

"Well, if you were me, and you will be," Klaus started as he tucked his hair behind his ear, "then you're going to want to get up to all kinds of trouble." 

"Klaus, I'm not you. That's the whole point of this, remember?" Ben couldn't help but point out, already lowkey regretting his acceptance of Klaus’ gift. 

Upon getting thrown into the 60s, Klaus and Ben had to learn how to totally rely on each other for company. Klaus' cult came gradually to him, but Ben was the only one who actually _knew_ him. On the other hand, Klaus was the only person Ben could actually communicate with on a regular basis. 

Ben loved Klaus. Of course he did. He wouldn't have stuck around after his death if he didn't want to spend time with his brother. He just didn't realize he was signing up for going on seventeen years of an endless cycle with Klaus. 

He would try to get Klaus to listen to him and Klaus chose to do what Klaus wanted to do. 

Even though he was usually annoyed by his antics, Ben still agreed to help Klaus gain favor with his benefactors, because at the end of the day, he couldn't stand to see Klaus hurt. Did he think Klaus' ego was getting a little out of control now that he had a horde of mindless followers? Possibly. But he didn't want to see Klaus homeless or starving. So, he did what he had to do in order to help Klaus adjust to life after getting unceremoniously dumped in the early 1960s. 

It didn't mean that there weren't fights between them. Sometimes, Ben got so frustrated with Klaus that he just wanted to scream. 

It was during a fight in 1961 when they realized Ben could possess Klaus. He would never forget the cold shock of phasing through Klaus' body followed by the delight of discovery. 

Klaus wasn't pleased by the prospect, but he started coming around once Ben explained about his experience as a ghost. He told him about not having any freedom. He couldn't eat or drink or sleep. He could read, but he couldn't smell the books or feel their pages beneath his fingers. He missed talking to someone who wasn't Klaus. He had to do what Klaus wanted, because he had nowhere else to go. He couldn't go to the park when he wanted to just sit outside and read and he couldn't see the ocean or savor the smell of it. 

He just wanted to _live_ , even if it was through Klaus. 

They kept working on it until Klaus began to grow a tolerance for having Ben inhabit his body. At first, they could only go for a few minutes before Klaus had to tap out. As time wore on, Klaus started to be able to handle it for hours without getting sick. 

Ben knew that it was a lot to ask from Klaus. And even though they still fought, he appreciated that Klaus would let him experience all of the little trivial things he didn't realize he would miss once he was dead. 

The only stipulation was that Ben always stayed around the cult. They were usually in some new and interesting place, so it wasn't much of a hardship, but he was starting to mourn other things he couldn't do around them. 

That was why when October approached and Klaus said he had a birthday present for him, Ben was more than a little skeptical. 

"You've never given me a birthday present. Ever," Ben helpfully pointed out. 

"Well, there's a first time for everything, Benarino. And besides, I'm sure this will make up for the past thirty something years," Klaus claimed with a smirk. 

It turned out that Klaus' present was a day in his body. 

"Now, you can go wherever you want. Do whatever you want. Just no hanky panky. Well..." Klaus mused with a thoughtful expression. 

"Klaus," Ben groaned, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Can you be serious for once?" 

"Hey, I'm the one handing out the day passes here, buddy," Klaus reminded him as he pointed a finger in his face. "I'm letting you enter this private sexy temple of mine," Klaus continued as he ran a hand down his own chest, "and I didn't even make you buy me a drink first. The least you could do is be grateful." 

Ben grimaced in disgust before he shook his head. "Why do you have to phrase it that way?" 

Klaus shot him a grin before he turned and opened the door to his bedroom. "First rule of Fight Club," Klaus started, a smirk forming on his face at Ben's groan of protest. 

"Klaus, come on," Ben pleaded. "You've only given me a day and you're wasting it being _you_." 

Klaus rolled his eyes before he sighed. "You're taking the fun out of this. You know I'm going to wake up later with a killer hangover and this is how you thank me?" 

"Klaus," Ben started, doing his best to keep his calm. "I appreciate this gift." 

Klaus offered him a pleased grin. "Was that so hard? Alright, go have fun in the city. Go smell some flowers or feed some ducks or whatever it is you're wanting to do." He threw his arms wide, wincing as he turned his face away. "Just be gentle." 

"Thank you, Klaus," Ben told him with a sincere smile. He took a deep breath, even though he didn't need it, and stepped into Klaus' body.

***

You were sitting in your office working on inventory when there was a knock on the door. There was only one person who was allowed to bother you while you were doing paperwork. You groaned and looked up to see your office door slowly inching open. "What is it, Shane?"

"Uh, I know I'm not supposed to interrupt you, but there's a weirdo in the store, and I know you like to deal with those personally." 

Knowing Shane, 'weirdo' could be used to describe over half the people who visited your bookstore. You still decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Be right there," you assured him. 

You heard Shane let out a sigh of relief before he closed your office door. You couldn't help the rueful grin on your face as you made sure that you were at a good stopping point. If you were lucky, then you would get out into the store just to see that Shane had been spooked by a little kid on a sugar high. It wouldn't be the first time. 

When you finally made it out to the front counter, Shane helpfully pointed towards a man sitting in the reading nook. You weren't really sure why Shane would have found the man weird until you took a closer look. 

"Seriously? Because he's barefoot?" You hissed at Shane, quirking an eyebrow at him in question. "That's not weird." 

"Just wait," Shane muttered, warily watching the man. 

You sighed, but dutifully went back to observing the man sitting in one of the armchairs on the other side of the store. He was slowly flipping through the pages of a book and running his fingers lovingly over every page. It wasn't long before he brought the book up to his face and pressed his nose right into the crease. You saw him take a deep breath, as if savoring the smell, before a delighted grin broke out over his face. 

"See," Shane pointed out as he moved to swat at your arm. " _Weird_ ," he stressed with a waggle of his eyebrows. 

"He's not weird," you denied with a shake of your head. "Just give me a minute to talk to him." 

You ignored Shane's warning to not get too close as you moved across the store towards the stranger. The guy was so deeply absorbed in the book in front of him that you couldn't help the tiny, fond smile that tugged at the corners of your lips. 

"Excuse me, sir?" You called as you approached the man, not wanting to startle him. "I'm afraid we have a policy about wearing shoes." 

The guy's eyes snapped up to look at you. He looked confused for a moment before he looked down to where his toes were curling into the carpet beneath his feet. 

"Oh," he breathed in awe before he looked up at you again. "I didn't even notice," he confessed with a hushed tone. "It's just been so long since I've been in a bookstore and I guess I got carried away." 

You noticed the way he had the book in his hands clutched almost reverently to his chest. You also caught the dog tags hanging around his neck. You thought you suddenly understood why he was so desperate for something that obviously comforted him. 

You waved Shane off when it looked like he was half a second from calling for help and moved to sit in the empty armchair near the stranger. "Just got home?" You couldn't help but wonder. He didn't look like any soldier you knew, especially with the long hair, but it was the only thing that really made sense to you. 

"Something like that," the guy muttered as he finally let the book fall into his lap. "I've only got one day." 

You couldn't help the incredulous laugh that broke free when you glanced from him to the books surrounding you. "So, you chose to waste the day in my store?" 

" _Your_ store? Oh shit, I'm sorry," he said with a wince, hastily moving to stand. 

"No, just wait," you stalled him with a hand on his arm. 

He looked so thrown off by your fingers wrapped loosely around his forearm that you were quick to let go. 

"I just meant that if you only have one day back home, then why aren't you spending it doing something else? Something more exciting?" 

"It's been so long since I've been able to really hold a book that it was all I could think about," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders. You watched a tiny, helpless grin steal across his face as he ran his fingers along the cover of the book in his lap. "Being here felt like coming home," he confided as he glanced at you. 

You considered him for a few moments, feeling almost helplessly drawn in by him. "I'm Y/N," you finally offered, holding out your hand for him to shake. 

"Ben," the guy answered as he let his hand grasp yours. You noticed the way his fingertips brushed against your palm as he let go, as if he wanted to keep contact as long as possible. 

"Well, Ben," you started as you leaned forward in your seat, offering him a sincere smile. "Why don't you let me take you to lunch? It's the least I can do," you told him as you gestured towards his dog tags. 

Ben frowned down at the tags, as if just realizing he was wearing them. "Oh, I'm not--" he started, reaching up to hesitantly touch them, but stopping before his fingers wrapped around the chain. "I mean, not really," he continued, looking lost for a moment. He sighed and met your gaze, his brows furrowed in frustration for a moment, before his expression smoothed out. "You know what? That sounds nice." 

"Let me just go make sure Shane over there can hold down the fort and I'll be back," you assured him as you moved to stand. 

When you left Ben, you noticed he resumed studying the book in his hands. There was a small, pleased smile on his face and you couldn't help but hope that it was partly because of you. 

"Are you crazy?" Shane asked once you told him what you were doing. "He could be a psycho! He could murder you the second he gets you alone." 

"He's not getting me alone," you told him, barely managing to not roll your eyes. "Just promise me you'll lock up, okay?" 

Shane squinted at you, visibly warring between concern and irritation, before he sighed. "Got it," he finally conceded. "Go on your date." 

"It's not a date," you corrected him before you moved back towards your office to grab your bag. You felt a momentary flare of guilt for abandoning your paperwork, but you knew you would be back for it later. Besides, it wasn't every day you offered to buy a random guy a meal. 

When you got back out into the store, it was to see Ben standing near the front door, nervously shifting on his feet. He looked like he wasn't sure if he was still welcome, so you made sure to greet him with a warm grin. 

"Ready to go?" You asked as you moved to stand near his side. 

"Yeah," he quickly agreed. "Shall we?" 

"Just give me one moment," you told him as you moved to dig through your bag, searching for your wallet. "You'll probably need some shoes if we're going to eat somewhere," you reminded him before you flashed him a reassuring grin. "There's a place just a few stores down that should have what you're looking for. Want to head down there and I'll meet you there in a minute?" 

"Right. Shoes," Ben agreed with a shake of his head and a grimace. "You couldn't have been wearing shoes, Klaus?" You heard him mutter to himself. 

"It's no big deal," you promised him, wondering who Klaus was. "It's just a few doors that way," you informed him as you pointed to your left. 

"Right," Ben echoed as he moved to open the door to the store. You noticed him glance around the bookstore as he left, letting out a wistful sigh, before he let the door shut behind him. 

It didn't take you long to grab what you wanted and meet Ben at the apparel store. He picked out a pair of sandals he seemed to only tolerate wearing as you led him towards one of your favorite lunch spots. 

By the time you were sitting across from him, you resolved to find out as much about Ben as you could. There was a gentleness to his demeanor that you found inviting. His smile was so sweet as he thanked you for the food that you couldn’t help but want to keep making him smile. 

He told you a few random tidbits about his life. He mostly talked about his family and how he had been separated from them. He mentioned being homesick and missing his mother's cooking. He said he missed hanging out with his siblings and simply going to the movies. He missed the smell and taste of fresh fruit and he longed to see something beautiful. 

It sounded like he just really missed life. 

Even though you had only offered lunch, you still couldn't bring yourself to leave him just yet. You didn't want to impose on his one day back home, but when you suggested trying to catch a movie together, he seemed to light up at the prospect. 

You weren't really surprised when you ended up watching Ben more than you did the movie. You adored his odd little giggle at some scenes and the way his eyes went wide with wonder at others. He seemed to feel an honest sense of enjoyment out of simply being there at the movies with you that you couldn't help but begin to wish that you had more than a day to get to know him. It felt like there was so much about Ben that you had yet to unlock, but a sinking feeling in your gut told you it would never happen. 

When the movie was over, Ben seemed as reluctant to leave you as you were to leave him. There was a part of you that just wanted to reach out and hold on until he promised to stay. But you knew that wasn't fair. You knew he was just as aware of his timer running out as you were and you didn't want to add to the melancholic feeling that was beginning to creep into your interactions. 

You remembered Ben mentioning wanting to see something beautiful, so you suggested a picnic at the beach for dinner. You were worried it was a bit too romantic for two people who had only met earlier that day, but Ben seemed pleased with the idea. 

By the time you were both sitting on a blanket, each of you enjoying the sandwiches and grapes you managed to score at a small grocery store just near the beach, you were starting to dread the end of the day. 

You were content to watch Ben with his head tipped back, his hair ruffled by the wind rolling over the both of you, as he drew in a deep breath. There was a satisfied grin on his face at the smell of the salt that permeated the air. 

"Are you sure you don't have another day?" You couldn't help but ask. It seemed so unfair to you that someone who seemed so genuinely fascinated by life's little wonders wouldn't be able to enjoy them for much longer. 

"I guess I'm a bit like Cinderella," Ben admitted with a wry smirk as he cracked open an eye to squint at you. "Once today is up, all the magic disappears, and I have to be happy with what I've got." 

"Well, I hope this will help," you told him as you reached for your bag. You pulled out the book he had been practically fondling in your store earlier that day and handed it over to him. "For you," you assured him when he hesitated to take it from you. "Frankenstein, huh? Wouldn't have taken you for a horror guy." 

There was a sad twist to his lips as he reached out to let his fingers drift over the cover of the novel. "It seemed appropriate," he murmured as he finally let himself grab the book. "What did you think I'd be interested in?" There was a curious tilt to his head as he looked at you, his fingers still running over the book as if memorizing how it felt in his hands. 

"I don't know," you mused with a shake of your head. "Maybe you're one of those guys who's secretly into romance. Maybe you like a little fantasy. Maybe something a bit philosophical," you pondered as you moved to nudge his arm with yours. 

You almost didn't catch the movement as Ben reached out to grip your hand. He tangled your fingers together, a smug grin on his face as he let your joined hands rest on the blanket between you. "Maybe you're right," he said, an almost awed look on his face that told you he couldn't believe he was being so bold. 

You felt yourself flush at the feeling of his hand in yours. It was something you didn't know you needed until that very moment, but you couldn't even fathom having to give it up now. You squeezed his hand as you leaned over to place a kiss on his cheek. 

You caught a glimpse of the enthralled expression on his face and couldn't help but fall for him all the more. 

You spent the rest of your time on the beach just watching the waves crash onto the shore. Ben never let go of you, but you noticed him playing with the sand at his side with his free hand, seeming to marvel at the feeling of it as he let it fall through his fingers over and over. 

As the sun began to set, Ben finally turned to look at you. "I wish I could stay," he admitted with a dismayed frown. 

"I wish you could too," you confessed on a whisper. You felt like your day with Ben was a gift, but you weren't sure if it was for him or you. 

While Ben walked you back to your store, you kept trying to come up with ideas to ensure he could stay. You wanted to see him again. You wanted to talk about books or movies or spend a night together under the stars. You wanted to know everything about him, but you knew that it was selfish to ask. 

If he said he had to leave, then you knew he had to leave. 

You weren’t sure what to do or say as you both came to a stop in front of your store. 

"Here," Ben said as he pulled something out of his pocket. It was a crushed daisy that was beginning to wilt and fall apart. "I picked it up earlier today because I missed them," he told you with a shrug. "But I want you to have it." He held it out to you, wincing when the stem began to splinter. 

"I love it," you assured him as you reached out to take the flower from him. 

You noticed Ben bite his lip, as if gearing himself up to say something, before he finally reached out to take your free hand in both of his. "Y/N, I want to thank you. I wasn't really sure what I wanted out of today, but you made it perfect for me. I'm not going to forget that." 

You weren't sure why you felt choked up as you studied him for what you hated to think would be the last time. "I had a good time with you, Ben. Maybe we'll get to do this again someday?" 

There was a saddened look on his face as he shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe," he agreed with a nod of his head. 

You knew both of you were aware that this was really going to be goodbye. There was something so final about this moment that you couldn't help but feel like you were losing someone you had known forever even if it was just for a day. 

Ben abruptly let out a soft, pained groan as he clenched his eyes shut. He brought his hands up and held onto his head for a moment. 

"Ben? What's wrong?" You worried as you reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Nothing. It's nothing," he dismissed with a miserable little twist to his mouth as he opened his eyes to regard you. "I just need to be going." 

"Oh," you sighed. "Right. Your carriage is about to turn into a pumpkin, huh?" 

Ben let out a surprised laugh, his eyes twinkling with a mirth you were going to miss. "Yeah. Something like that," he agreed. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against your cheek. You felt your breath hitch at the feeling of him in your space, the experience bittersweet with the knowledge that it would never happen again. "Thank you for the greatest day of my life, Y/N." 

You let out a choked laugh, wishing you could reach out to him when he started to back away from you. "Any time," you told him as you forced yourself to stay rooted to your spot right in front of your store. "Bye, Ben." 

"Goodbye, Y/N," he whispered, his hand coming up and his fingers dipping in a wave. You saw him study you for a moment before he seemed to make himself turn and walk away from you. 

All you could do was watch him leave you with the foolish hope that you would see him again one day.


	9. Collar Full (Klaus Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Companion to [Shut Up and Dance](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25196848/chapters/64023292). Your visions of a man you don’t know begin to bleed into terrifying nightmares about the end of the world. As you begin to fall for him, you wonder how you’re supposed to find the love of your life when it seems you’re doomed to die together?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the song [Collar Full](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZAIEAG6Vgk) by Panic! at the Disco.

The visions started when you were just a kid. 

At first, it was seemingly innocuous little things. A familiar conversation or a friendly face on a stranger. You didn't even know what it all meant at first. 

You thought everyone had their own weird déjà vu moments. So what if you dreamt about where to find your friend's kitten when it got lost or an essay your teacher was going to assign days before she actually did? It didn't mean there was anything special about you. 

You began to suspect you were wrong when you predicted the death of your grandmother. 

As you got older, the visions came to you in increasingly dizzying bouts. You knew when you would ace an exam or get your heart broken. You knew about your parent's divorce months before it happened and that you were going to need to get your appendix removed three days before your twenty-fifth birthday. 

The visions were always mundane. You didn't know why you were shown bits and pieces of your life before they occurred, but it didn't mean much of anything to you. Everyone dealt with loss and heartbreak and illness. So what if you just had a warning system you didn't know how to trigger? 

You told yourself it didn't have to mean anything. 

You kept believing your own lie until you were twenty-seven. 

That was when you first saw _him_. 

You thought he was just a figment of your imagination at first. He checked every single box for you from his gorgeous green eyes to the dry, mocking wit he possessed. 

You thought he was just a fantasy. The dreams were blurry and surreal. They were never what you really expected and offered snapshots of a life you didn't understand. 

Some involved the guy holding you in his arms, a pleased grin on his face as he watched you. Others involved destruction and chaos. 

They contrasted so sharply that you weren't really sure if they were pleasant dreams or hellish nightmares. 

As you got older, the dreams smoothed out into scenes that were so startling in clarity and vivid with detail that you started to realize they were visions of the future. 

You lived lifetimes every night with the man in your visions. You began to crave his attention and affection. He laughed with you and danced with you. He cried with you and fought with you. 

It was the two of you every night for months. 

You loved him, even if you didn't truly know him. 

And then one night you suddenly knew his name. 

Klaus Hargreeves. 

Learning his name seemed to open the floodgate for your ability. The idyllic life began to slough away and was replaced with visions of fire and rubble. You caught glimpses of rage-filled, icy white eyes and a song's crescendo that had you crying out each night. There were bodies of people you didn't recognize and one you did. 

It was Klaus. 

And you were right there at his side. 

It got to the point where you wanted to run from a man you had never met before. You ached for him in a way you didn't understand, but you feared the outcome of meeting him. 

You didn't want to die. You didn't want to find the love of your life only to lose him. You didn't want the world to end. 

You didn’t know how to stop it, but you wanted to try. 

You began to lose sleep. You started to tell yourself that if you could just stop dreaming about Klaus and the apocalypse, then it didn't have to happen. You reasoned that if you never met him, then the portent of doom following you every night didn't have to become a reality. 

You started to lose the battle with yourself. You were heartbroken over a man who didn't even know you existed. You missed him so fiercely that you felt like you couldn't carry on without him. 

It took you a couple of months of sleepless nights and bitter regrets before you conceded defeat. 

If you were destined to fall, then you wanted to fall together. 

You nearly hated the sweet rush of relief you felt when you dreamt of him again. There was laughter and love and death and destruction. It seemed like you were doomed to a fate with Klaus you couldn't escape. 

You wanted him, though. You wanted to see his smile up close and taste the laughter right from his lips. You wanted to hold him close and feel him move against you. You wanted his time, even if there wasn’t much left of it. 

You started to dream about your meeting. There were red and blue lights and countless bodies dancing to a beat you couldn't hear, because you didn't care to. Once you spotted him, nothing else mattered. He was your only focus and you would be damned if you let him slip right past you. 

You had learned to let the visions take their own course. Even though you had run from this initially, you knew that it would happen in its own time. 

You still found yourself going from party to rave to show, seeking out his face among the masses of strangers. 

You weren't sure if you were tempting fate, but after weeks of one lost cause after another, your search finally gave you what you wanted. 

It was him. 

You caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of your eye as you lost yourself to a rhythm only you knew. You noticed him dejectedly swallow a couple of pills he pulled from the pocket of his coat before he began to survey the room. 

You twisted and turned, not wanting to lose your footing, before you dared to look at him again. 

He was watching you. 

You felt a thrill shoot through you at finally having his attention. 

This wasn't a dream and it wasn't a vision. This was happening here and now. 

You had craved him for so long that you felt dizzy with anticipation. You would finally have the love you had come to know so well in your visions. You would finally have _Klaus_. 

You knew you only had one shot at getting this right, so you let a smirk slip onto your face as you slowly worked your way towards him and finally submitted to fate.


	10. On the Other Side (Klaus Hargreeves/Reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May I request "Did you hear that?" + Ouija Boards + Klaus/Reader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points for anyone who can spot the movie reference(s).

You really thought Klaus was full of shit when he told you about the plans he had for the both of you for Halloween night. 

"Isn't that kind of cheating?" You asked as you gestured towards his hands. "Aren't you kind of a human ouija board to begin with?" 

“It’s not cheating,” he assured you with a grin that did nothing to put you at ease. 

“Is it really a good idea?” 

Klaus rolled his eyes before he reached out to tug you closer to him. "A spooky mansion on Halloween night and trying to summon all the dark ghosties that inhabit it? What could go wrong?" 

"Said every victim in every horror movie ever," you muttered before you leaned into him. 

"Oh, come on," Klaus coaxed as he pressed his fingers beneath your chin, tilting your head up until you were looking at him. "You just told me you wanted a _scary_ Halloween night. What's more terrifying than going to an abandoned mansion and attempting a séance _with_ The Séance?" 

He looked so smug that you couldn't help but try to kiss the pleased expression off his face. Klaus' hands drifted down to your sides, reeling you in tight against his body, before he broke away to offer you a smirk. 

"So?" He prompted with a waggle of his eyebrows. "What do you say?" 

You rolled your eyes before finally relenting. "Fine," you conceded with a sigh. "But I still think it's cheating if you use your power." 

"That's what the booze is for," he commented with a wink before he dropped to his knees and started searching under his bed for something. "Ah, there it is," you heard him mutter before he unearthed a ouija board. 

"You just keep that under your bed?" 

"Among many other fascinating toys," Klaus purred before he handed you the board. 

You felt a chill sweep down your spine as you studied the board. It didn't feel like a cheap toy. It was heavy and ornate. You couldn't help but think it looked gorgeous, even if it did creep you out a bit. 

"Can't forget this," Klaus added as he handed over the planchette. "You ready to get the life scared out of you?" 

You couldn't help but snort, swatting at him when he tried to reach out and tickle you. "I'm not going to get scared. My boyfriend talks to the dead on a regular basis." 

"But I won't be able to tonight," Klaus reminded you as he turned to swipe the bottle of whiskey off his bedside table. "You’ll be completely at their mercy.” You noticed him smirk when you shivered at the idea. “But let's make this interesting," he continued before he took a quick swig of whiskey. 

"Oh, no," you groaned, knowing that Klaus' wagers usually ended up with the two of you in his bed trying something new and exciting. You weren't really complaining, but you were a bit wary after his fascination with wax play almost caught his bedroom curtains on fire. "What's the bet?" You couldn't help but wonder, way too curious for your own good. 

"If I win," Klaus started as he moved closer towards you. "Then I get to choose how we spend the rest of our night. If you win, then I'll let you do whatever you want to me for the rest of the night," he promised, his fingers reaching out to trail along your jaw before he pulled you into a kiss. "Deal?" He mumbled against your lips, your body practically trembling when his fingers lightly swept along your sides and down your back. 

"Deal," you agreed, knowing that the opportunity was too good to pass up. "What do I have to do to win?" 

"Just make it one hour with me, the ouija board, and however many spirits are currently residing in Whipstaff Manor. If you don't want to leave by the time an hour is up, then you win." 

You knew there had to be more to it than what Klaus was offering. There was a sly mirth in his expression that told you he was definitely up to something, but you were confident that you would be fine. You had watched countless horror movies without ever being truly scared, and despite the fact that Klaus' powers let him talk to the dead, you knew that you wouldn't come to any harm as long as he was around. 

"Alright," you agreed as you tucked the ouija board under your arm and held your hand out for him to shake. 

He took your hand in his, using his hold on you to tug you towards him. "Then let's go have ourselves a fright night," he whispered before he grinned at you, looking entirely too happy with himself. 

He was definitely up to something. 

You weren't really sure what you thought as you let Klaus lead you through the gates of Whipstaff Manor. It was a notoriously spooky mansion that was tucked away just outside the city. It had been deserted for years, and while you knew kids usually dared each other to spend a night inside the house to prove their merit, no one had actually lived inside the building for quite some time. 

Klaus had been steadily taking sips from his chosen bottle of alcohol for the night and was now stumbling his way up the stairs towards the front door. 

"How did you even get access to this place?" You asked as you followed after him, hoping that he didn't tumble down the stairs. 

"Oh, I know someone who knows someone who knows someone else," Klaus vaguely answered as he turned on the stairs to look down at you. He almost tripped over a step as he continued to walk up them, not caring that he couldn't see where he was going. 

You reached up to steady him, nearly dropping the board in the process. "Watch where you're going," you told him, helping him carefully turn around on the stairs. You breathed out a sigh of relief once you were both at the front door, soothed by the knowledge that Klaus was safe. 

You felt him sway right into your side before he reached out to knock three times on the front door. 

"Klaus, the place is abandoned," you tried to remind him, but you were cut off by the doors creaking open seemingly all by itself. 

Klaus shot you a smug look when you turned a glare on him. 

"That was rigged," you accused, not wanting to believe that the door actually opened by itself. 

Klaus held his hands up, giving you a glimpse of the 'hello' and 'goodbye' tattooed on his palms. "No tricks tonight. Only a treat," he added with a wink before he moved to wrap an arm around your waist. "Let's go see what the spirits have to say tonight." 

You felt yourself shiver as you stepped into the foyer of Whipstaff Manor. It was nothing like the Academy. There were cobwebs everywhere you looked and the chandelier above the foyer was missing half of its bulbs. You noticed it swinging idly above your head, as if moved by an unseen force. 

You jumped when the front doors slammed closed behind you. You turned to look at them, suspecting that you had been followed, but there was no one there. Darkness seemed to encroach on the both of you, prompting you to press yourself closer to Klaus' side. 

"I'm here," he soothed you with a kiss to your temple. 

It wasn't long before you were sitting in the living room of the manor. You set the board down on the coffee table and hesitantly sat down on the floor, trying your best to not imagine all the creepy crawlies that could surprise you. 

Klaus had produced a couple of candlesticks from inside his coat pocket and set them up on either side of the board. He sat down across from you on the other side of the coffee table and then reached out for your hands. 

"You ready?" 

You nodded your head, not wanting to admit that you weren't feeling so confident while sitting in the dark and empty void of the manor. Even though you knew that no one had lived in the building for decades, you still couldn't help but think that it felt like the two of you weren't alone. 

Klaus dropped his fingers to rest on the planchette. You cautiously followed suit, hating that you could feel your heart beginning to race as he started moving the planchette over the board. 

"Gotta warm it up," he explained with a smirk. 

You settled for rolling your eyes, not wanting to admit to yourself or Klaus that you were already rethinking your bet. You were starting to feel spooked already and you weren't sure if you wanted to add an attempt to communicate with the dead to your night. 

"Alright, your hour starts now," he told you, pretending to check the time on a wristwatch that didn't exist. 

You shook your head, feeling a reluctant smile tug at your lips. 

"Ghosts? Spirits of the undead?" Klaus called, glancing around as if he was searching for any apparitions. "We're here to talk to you," he sang with an amused smirk. 

"Klaus," you hissed, leaning forward. "Be serious about this." 

"I am serious," Klaus claimed as he affected a stern expression. 

You jolted in surprise when the planchette suddenly moved, swiping quickly over the 'hello' printed near the bottom left of the board. 

"Fuck," you whispered before glancing up at Klaus. "Was that you?" 

Klaus shook his head, looking just as creeped out as you did. 

"Ask them something," he urged you as he nodded towards the board. "They're waiting," he warbled with a low voice. 

"Don't say it like that," you told him as you shook your head. 

"Like what?" He asked, affecting an innocent expression. 

"Ugh," you groaned before you pressed your fingers harder into the planchette. "What's your name?" 

The planchette was still for a few moments and you almost breathed out a sigh of relief, thinking Klaus was just messing with you, before it suddenly jerked up towards the letters printed in the middle. You watched as the planchette swept over a series of letters. 

L-E-G-I-O-N 

"Oh, come on," you sighed as you glanced up at Klaus. "You're going to have to try better than that." 

"What? That's not me," Klaus denied with a shake of his head. "I'm well and truly sloshed, darling," he slurred as he reached out to grab his bottle of nearly empty whiskey and shake it at you. 

You still didn't believe him, but it was at that moment you heard a door slam upstairs. You glanced up towards the ceiling, attempting to see anything in the flickering candlelight. 

"Did you hear that?" You couldn't help but ask, feeling your breath stutter in your chest with fear. 

"They're coming to get you, Barbara," Klaus crooned before he reached out to try to press his fingertip to your nose. 

"That's zombies," you muttered, your brows furrowing as you tried to hear if there were any other noises. "It was probably just the wind," you tried to dismiss. 

The planchette suddenly moved to cover the 'NO' printed on the top left side of the board. 

"Well," Klaus said, blinking at you in surprise. 

You were sure it was all somehow still a ruse on Klaus' part. It wasn't until you heard footsteps seemingly coming from the second floor that you started to believe that you really were talking to a ghost. You drew the line at thinking it was a demon. 

You heard something fall to the floor, the sound of glass shattering causing you to hurriedly glance over your shoulder for the source of the noise. When all that greeted you was darkness, you turned to look back at Klaus. 

A chill covered you at that moment and you swore you felt someone breathing on your neck. 

"Klaus?" 

"Yes?" He asked as he leaned towards you over the table. 

"Let's get the fuck out of here?" You didn’t mean for it to come out as a question, but you were having a hard time thinking past your instinctive fear. 

"You sure? Your hour isn't up and we're just getting started," he told you, shooting you a concerned look. 

You were going to try to tough it out, but three things happened all at once to change your mind. 

The sound of the front doors creaking open greeted you, you felt the distinct impression of fingers pressing against your shoulder, and then something was whispered in your ear. 

"Stay and play, Y/N," someone unseen croaked into your ear before the candles were blown out, plunging you and Klaus into a dizzying darkness. 

"Fuck this," you hissed before you quickly stood up. "Let's go," you told Klaus, quickly reaching over the coffee table to grab his hand and pull him towards his feet. 

"If you insist," Klaus said as he moved to wrap his arm around your waist and began to usher you out of the room. 

You were so frightened by your experience at Whipstaff Manor that you never noticed Klaus glancing over his shoulder and shooting a thumbs up at the ghostly vision of Ben Hargreeves.


End file.
